Over There: The United States in the Great War, 1917-18

by Byron Farwell

This comprehensive book chronicles the rise of the American military and the role it played in winning World War I, from the declaration of war in 1917 to the social changes that ocurred on the homefront.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I, War, American History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1999

About the author

Farwell graduated from Ohio State University and the University of Chicago (M.A., 1968). He served in World War II as a captain of engineers attached to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force in the British Eighth Army area and later also saw combat in the Korean War. He separated from the military after seven years of active duty.

As a civilian, he became director of public relations and director of administration for Chrysler International from 1959 to 1971. He also served three terms as mayor of Hillsboro, Virginia (1977-81).

He published articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, American Heritage, Harper's, Horizon, Smithsonian Magazine as well as serving as a contributing editor to Military History, World War II, and Collier's Encyclopedia. Farwell also published biographies of Stonewall Jackson, Henry M. Stanley, and Sir Richard Francis Burton.

He was a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and a member of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Literature.

Farwell gave his papers to the University of Iowa.

Reviews

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very ordinary and generally uninspiring account of the U.S. entry into and participation in WW1. Felt more like an exercise in box checking and counting, numbers of this and that. For a complete neophyte I suppose it could be rated a little higher. There a lots of little factoids, some interesting I suppose, and some fairly obvious social observations (blacks treated poorly, women slightly liberated, German-Americans abused) but there is very little depth here. When compared to something like 'The Pity of War' by Niall Ferguson it is thin gruel indeed.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars - English Ebook

Review follows later.

[Ensiform · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise history of American involvement in WWI. Not told chronologically, but thematically (the war at home, major battles, the air force, reception in France, etc), the book is a multi-faceted look at American attitudes toward the war. Sometimes Farwell gets too bogged down in statistics (numbers of men, tons of materiel, and so forth); this kind of minutiae works better in appendices so it doesn’t clutter up the narrative flow. However, he wisely includes some fantastic anecdotal stories on the infantry level, from everyday sharp-shooting heroes, including the famous hillbilly-cum-hero Alvin York, to men who would later be famous such as Truman, Eisenhower and Patton.

Farwell is British and so covers material not often remembered by American historians, such as the Siberian intervention, the thousands of foreigners incarcerated without trial during and immediately after the war, censorship, and the lynching and burning of blacks in the name of Liberty and patriotism, not to mention the high incidence of venereal disease in the army. The book also notes, without judging harshly, the Franco-American enmity, brought on by retreating French who charged Americans for their materiel and transport and a supposedly undisciplined American force that didn’t much respect their French “hosts.” In short, a warts-and-all history, without much depth to specific events or themes, but great as a basic overview of the salient points of American WWI activity.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an extremely in depth look at our involvement in the first World War. What it is, is an expansive look at the whole picture from the pre-war politics, the buildup, involvement, occupation, and also the war in Russia is briefly noted. Also has a chapter on, which I found interesting because I hadn't heard much on before, Venereal Disease and Pershings attempt at zero tolerance for it. The writing style is easy and keeps you interested in the subject. A worthy addition for a refresher on the American involvement in the war or as a way to gently get involved in the history of the war itself.

[David Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author describes America’s role in WWI from what seems to be a very honest approach. America was unprepared for war: Troops were untrained.
Unskilled and I’ll-equipped. New and improved technology (machine guns,flame throwers gas warfare, military aircraft..)required new strategies on both sides.
The Allies (France and England)wanted to control the Americans while the American General Pershing wanted to keep them under American command.
Allies wanted American troops ASAP, but complained that they weren’t well trained.

Farewell provides hundreds of details and statistics . He tells a good story. Sometimes with humor, but always with respect.

WWI was supposed to be the war to end all wars. Unfortunately history repeats itself.

[Andrew Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the US' involvement in WW1, Over There covers the US' lack of readiness before the war, circumstances leading to the US joining the war, training and logistical challenges, arrival in Europe, and problems faced by an isolationist nation not used to sustained deployments. Farwell also covers the home front, including racial issues in the army. Farwell spends appropriate amounts of time and detail on key offensives that contributed to winning the war.

Over There is a good read for those looking for a broad look at US involvement in The Great War; experienced readers about WW1 will likely not learn anything new. The chapters are of manageable length to read 1 or 2 in a sitting and the prose is easily digestible.

[ROSEMARY L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Totally disappointed!
Author is British. He was an engineer for the British in WW2. He has condescending attitude towards the US. He is constantly belittling the fact that America was not ready to participate in WW1.
I

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love a good sequential nonfiction work

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farwell, a former British soldier, a historian and professor in both the US and the UK, has written a narrative of the American involvement of WWI that is much more that a story of the American battle experience. It is, at once, a truly interesting book made more so for me because my father served with the American 91st Division in the war and was severely wounded in the Meuse-Argonne battle that was the last great battle of the war. More importantly, nearly half of the book is devoted to the American experience in the run-up to declaring war, and the effort to move from a peace time society and an army of a little over 200,000 men to over 3,600,000 by war’s end. Of these, over 2,000,000 were drafted. Farwell doesn’t just describe the events of preparation for and waging war, but includes engaging narratives of the debates over whether to get involved at all, the perils of starting a selective service system (blood will run in the streets and a civil war will ensue if we draft people against their will!), and how a society converted to a war production footing. The propaganda to avoid the war and then to create a pro-war mentality, the unpreparedness of the US populace, ( fully one third of the 100,000,000 people in the US were foreign born or had foreign born parents, many draftees couldn’t speak English, only 14 percent of the population had completed high school, 25 percent of native born Americans were illiterate, and the average draftee stood only 5 feet nine inches and weighed 142 pounds) the huge social issues of racism, and the need to convert an economy to a war production mode all are stories in themselves and Farwell deals with them effectively and interestingly. The Kirkus Review of the book (online June 24, 2010) opined that “Perhaps never before have so many topics about this Great War been covered with such economy and to such effect. We learn of storied generals and unknown doughboys, preparedness and weaponry, trench warfare and African-Americans in battle, and campaigns and peace maneuvers—as well as the horrors of the battlefront.”
In the sections of the book that deal with American entry into actual battle (the American Expeditionary Force experienced only 150 days of combat in a war that lasted four years and three months) the author deals both with the American difficulties with their allies and their own unpreparedness. As always the numbers are staggering: 9 to 12 million people dead, American deaths of 122,500 (nearly 49,000 from disease) and wounded, 237,350. By all measures the slaughter was unbelievable.
This was a fine, and captivating book. Highly recommended.

[Brandi]

I had to read this for a history course on America in the World Wars. This book covers America's involvement in WWI. It's an easy read and provides a lot of information. I particularly like the amount of primary sources referenced. Scholarly minded historians might dislike the fact he doesn't really cite his sources in text, but the book reads far easier without the footnotes for those who are reading the book for extracurricular enjoyment. You get a good sense of how unprepared the US truly was when we finally jumped into the war and Farwell gives a good impression of Wilson's naivete concerning peace.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, to the read, and not very memorable. Farwell hits the high points without capturing the essence of the experience. The Great War and America's participation awaits a Bruce Catton to tell the story.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Readable and interesting, but wish sources were cited.

[Ryan Loveless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, interesting, and readable.

[Eric Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the Lusitania WAS carrying war supplies. Who knew?