Notice: Our website is currently undergoing a migration, and some content may have been moved to a new location, be actively migrated, or be temporarily inaccessible. We appreciate your patience as we continue to add content gradually over time.

The Great War: U.S. Army Artifacts

Cookie Disclaimer - CMH Online does not use persistent cookies (persistent tokens that pass information back and forth from the client machine to the server). CMH Online may use session cookies (tokens that remain active only until you close your browser) in order to make the site easier to use. CMH Online DOES NOT keep a database of information obtained from these cookies. You can choose not to accept these cookies and still use the site, but it may take you longer to fill out the same information repeatedly and clicking on the banners may not take you to the correct link. Refer to the help information in your browser software for instructions on how to disable cookies.

External Links Disclaimer - The appearance of hyperlinks to external sites does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army of the linked web site or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the Department of the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this web site.

Migration Notice - The Center for Military History has recently completed the initial migration process to a new content management system (CMS). Please note that not all content has been migrated over yet, but it will be gradually transferred over time. If you are unable to find specific content, feel free to send us an inquiry, and our team would be happy to assist you in locating the information you need.

Inquiries - For inquiries related to organizational history, military programs, or research at the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH), please email CMH Answers at usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.answers@army.mil. Due to high correspondence volume, response times may vary. Before reaching out, review the Army Records Master List, FAQs, and Online Bookshelves. On-site research appointments require one week’s notice. For more information, please visit the CMH website at https://history.army.mil/About-CMH/Inquiries-and-Visitor-Policy/.

Special Publications CMH Pub 70-128, Cloth 2018; 190 pages, tables, illustrations

Sarah G. Forgey, General Editor

Special Publications
CMH Pub 70-128, Cloth
2018; 190 pages, tables, illustrations

GPO S/N: Pending

This book uses high-resolution photographs and a wealth of historical research to showcase objects relating to the First World War from the collections of the Army Museum Enterprise (AME) to mark the centennial of World War I. The artifacts presented in the book are a small sample of the more than 34,000 World War I artifacts in the AME's vast collection. Although the soldiers and civilians who served during the Great War are no longer here, we can hear and understand their stories through these objects. The artifacts give us a profound connection to the events of one hundred years ago. Technological innovation made World War I the first modern, mechanized, and industrial war, and the artifacts show how those who participated in the war made sense of their difficult surroundings on a day-to-day basis. Air combat became common for the first time. A corporal's diary includes drawings and notes on aircraft tail shapes to assist him in identifying whether a plane was friend or foe. In the trenches, the doughboys routinely faced poison gas attacks and had to carry respirators and protective masks. They sometimes personalized these objects with their name or their unit's insignia. World War I also brought about advancements in medicine and medical treatments. Motorized ambulances could transport the sick and wounded away from the infectious conditions of the battlefield, increasing their possibility of survival. Red Cross brassards and red vests identified medical orderlies and ambulance drivers. The United States faced many logistical challenges in fighting a war overseas. Soldiers not only battled the enemy on the front lines, but also established base camps, built roads, constructed rail lines and bridges, kept draft animals and carrier pigeons, and prepared food. Mobile kitchens were developed to serve hot food to the troops at the front. During the Great War, the U.S. Army grew in unprecedented numbers. Soldiers came from every state in the nation and included African, Hispanic, and Native Americans. Some soldiers brought a little bit of their home with them to Europe, such as a Texas flag, and some brought pieces of the war home with them, such as a vase made from a shell casing. Women also joined the war effort by attending service schools, volunteering with civilian service organizations, becoming nurses and signal operators, building equipment and armaments on the home front, and selling war bonds. Their uniforms echoed those of the soldiers they supported. These objects, and many more featured in this book, provide us with indelible insight into these lives from a hundred years ago.

* View this publication online.