Warrior 79: US Doughboy 1916-19 [Paperback]

Thomas Hoff (Author), Adam Hook (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 2005 | Series: Warrior (Book 79)

Dedicated to the life of the average US soldier during World War I, this book follows the doughboy during the course of the war: from conscription, arrival at a training facility, transportation to Europe, and finally into combat in the trenches. The evolution of the US Army is discussed, and its organization, the tension between Pershing’s desire for “open” warfare and the actual reality of trench warfare is examined in detail. Appearance, equipment and weaponry of the American soldier are all featured, along with vivid descriptions of day-to-day experiences and the shock of combat on the front.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Produced to the very high standard that Osprey books have become known for.

From the Publisher

Insights into the real lives of history's fighting men, packed with full colour illustrations, highly detailed cutaways, exploded artwork of weaponry and armour, and action-packed battle scenes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841766763
• ISBN-13: 978-1841766768
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Osprey at its best, March 16, 2005

By 

J. Brewster (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Warrior 79: US Doughboy 1916-19 (Paperback)

Having had mixed reactions recently to some Osprey tiltles, I am delighted to say that with this one Osprey is back to their best form. This is a tremendous book; not just a useful reference but full of unexpected information. Like all the Warrior series, it looks at its subject through the experiences of a presumably fictional character, in this case one Kurt from Chicago. While no expert, I have reading up on the First World War Armies, but I was still frequently surprised by something new. Most troops did not use the Springfield rifle, but instead a variant of the Enfield. The story of the YMCA floored me. The divisional badges, which I was seeking when I purchased this book, were not even issued until the war was over. Lots more like this. The vice of the Warrior series is that in following some "everyman" character through the war it can become focused too much on the standard, but here the non-standard crops up on every page. I learned more than I have from First World War books four times longer. The artwork is excellent and the pictures helpful and well-captioned, something not always true. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer. Unfortunately it covers the ground so completely I doubt we shall see a follow-up, which is a shame as this is the best Osprey I have seen for years.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but geared a bit toward re-enactors, May 24, 2006

By 

R. A Forczyk (MD, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Warrior 79: US Doughboy 1916-19 (Paperback)

Osprey's Warrior #79, US Doughboy 1916-19, provides an interesting summary overview of the US infantryman in the First World War. Author Thomas A. Hoff uses a composite US infantryman from Chicago as a role model, and follows him from induction, through basic training to service in France in the 33rd Infantry Division. Other authors in the Osprey Warrior series have used this method and while it adds a vital human dimension (and appeals particularly to re-enactors, such as the author), it risks presenting an account that is skewed to one individual's experience. In this effort, the results are mixed, in that the author's notional character is interesting, but really only addresses the enlisted soldier's experience. Junior officers and NCOs are not really addressed well and vital questions - such as how did the AEF come up with platoon leaders and squad leaders - are skimmed over. Compared to an earlier volume in the series such as `British Tommy,' this volume is not quite as detailed. Overall, US Doughboy 1916-19 is interesting, but at best a snapshot of certain types of experience, rather than a summary of a wider variety of experiences.

The volume consists of short sections on conscription, training, uniforms and equipment, weapons, daily life and combat experience. I think the narrowness of the author's focus is most evident in the combat section, since it primarily describes the experiences of troops in only the 33rd Division (although the author does make mention of the use of Negro troops in the French Army and several more general topics about the AEF). Given Osprey's other titles in the Men-at-Arms and Battle Order series on the AEF, this would have been a good volume to focus more on actual individuals in the AEF, by having sidebars on soldiers such as Alvin C. York and Sam Woodfill. The author also digresses a bit too much on his discussion about the YMCA, the Red Cross and problems with STDs, which probably only a deserved a couple of sentences instead of several paragraphs. It might have also been useful to mention something about how the Doughboys were treated on thir return to the US, including the infamous "Bonus March." The volume includes eight excellent color plates and a short bibliography, as well as notes on museums.