Doughboys, the Great War, and the Remaking of America by Jennifer D. Keene is an exceptional work examining the more social aspects of the First World War. Specifically, it focuses on the ways that the war affected the citizens-turned-soldiers, and the ways that they themselves affected America as a result of their experiences.
What is most notable about the thesis (and the entire book) is that it practically ignores the war itself, concentrating entirely upon the American soldiers and their interactions with each other, the French, British, and their own people on their return home. Most emphasized is their interactions with the US Government, particularly in regards to the draft and whether or not the government owed the soldiers some form of compensation for the losses they had sustained while at war (whether physical or mental injuries, or missing job opportunities). Throughout the years of prosperity (‘20s), depression (‘30s) and then recuperation (‘40s), these veterans fought a battle not only for themselves, but for future generations of soldiers. After blunderings and failings across the decades (the Bonus act, the Bonus March, and etc.), in 1944 Congress rectified the issue by passing the GI Bill, which extended monetary, educational, and health benefits to all veterans of the US Military – a monumental, satisfactory, and conclusive end to the influence of the Great War veterans.
Keene goes into great depth to chronicle the ways that the Great War experience changed the way that the Army treated their soldiers. This was a more immediate outcome than the social welfare, and began to be seen as soon as the draft came into effect. This draft was an efficient and rapid one, expanding the armed forces from the initial 127,000 to an end of 3.9 million over the course of the war. These citizens-turned-soldiers, so quickly inducted from civilian life into the rigors of the disciplined army, did not respond so well to the hierarchy and discipline. Their resistance prompted a variety of changes in the structure of the army disciplinary system, from the methods of training to the ubiquitous courts-martial. These changes, provoked as they were by the common citizen-soldier, went a long ways to improve the army, thus better preparing it for the next citizen-soldier war, and that the most famous of the century: World War II.
As is the case with any book written on any war, Doughboys is not alone in the histories on the First World War. However, it is unique in that it is more a specific case study of the social relations of the American soldiers in war rather than a broad overview or a limited biography This narrow focus renders the study all the more interesting, as it examines a little-known and little studied aspect of the outcomes of the war, but brings about the conclusions in a relevant way.
As such, the strength of the book lies in its excellent narrative and marked conclusions on the effects of the veterans of WWI, particularly in the regards to the steps they took to secure compensation for the losses sustained in the service. However, it is extremely narrow in focus, which could either be taken as a weakness (for those looking for a broader narrative) or a complimentary strength (detail in the illustrative thesis). It is recommended to take the latter view, as the book is an excellent contribution to the understanding of how the experiences of the Doughboys led to changes in civilian perception, Army policy, and government legislation, thus securing future veterans a better future than the doughboys had experienced after the Great War. The author is professor and chair of the department of history at Chapman University, specializing in the American military experience of World War One.
I would recommend this book if you are interested in the 'other side' of WWI, or social histories in general. It helps to round out your perspective.
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