100 years ago, the war Waldo saw

    November 1915, World War 1 is savagely ripping Europe apart. Waldo Peirce, fresh Harvard graduate, impossibly handsome and talented artist, decides to leave his privileged life to join the American Field Service in France. He finds himself catapulted to the front of the bloodiest war zone ever, rescuing and transporting the wounded to safety, through treacherous battle grounds, in primitive ambulances. His heroism and bravery won him the French Croix de Guerre awarded by the French government to war heroes. The carnage and devastation he saw did not destroy his beautiful mind, because through it all, he kept on painting. "I must paint paint" as he wrote from the front to his mom in 1916 "I'm a painter from the top of my head to the souls of my feet --I know it-- I get a nervous thrill just to take my palette in my hands..." And it's how Waldo never lost his way. 100 years later, almost to the day, here are photographs with short captions of the war he saw.

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                                                                “Unwavering patriots”

‘I am a citizen; this is my country. I was born here, and shall at all times be found with the flag.’

‘Remembering the multitude of the Croix de Guerre and citations on the breasts of the returning African American soldiers, smiling, not discouraged, and still carrying on for the flag, the country where they were born and where the bones of their fathers are buried.’

1919, Returning African-American soldiers – William Allison Sweeney – Photos: American soldiers and the flag – US Army Center of Military History – Library of Congress – See more great photos here

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‘I am a citizen; this is my country. I was born here, and shall at all times be found with the flag.’

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                                                                    Cousins

“I have always hoped and expected that the Marines would do their share and when the French say that we fight like our ‘Canadian Cousins’ it is praise of the highest sort. In other words a Marine is ace-high around here!”

June 1918, a US Marine writing to his mom about this experience in the Belleau Wood Battle. Dear Folks At Home – Photo: A US soldier meets a Canadian Hightlander. Note: The Canadian Highlander regiments were in the United States in July of 1917 for “British Recruiting Week” which encouraged enlistment in WW1. See photo of Canadian Highlanders in NYC @ the US WWI Centennial Commission’s Instagram and on YouTube.

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Our Canadian Cousins

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                                                         ‘It is a hot pipping day in Paree’

‘Paris is now in the midst of a heat wave and we all sweltering – Even to move your little finger is enough to make your very toes hot!’

Allen Peck’s WW1 Letters Home 1917-1919 – Paris Sees it Through: A Diary. 1914-1919 – War Letters, 1917-1919

Gallica, France

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‘It is a hot pipping day in Paree’

How to Survive Paris Heatwave

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Dear Dad ... I forget your name

Very young children might have only the vaguest recollection of a father who would not return for years, if at all. The scale of the World War 1 casualties left around 350,000 children across the UK without a father. This photograph shows fatherless children on a Birmingham Co-operative Society float at the 1920 May Day parade. 

Voices of War and Peace

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The day before Memorial Day of this year, (1918), Marshal Petain wrote General Pershing, “I have invited French troops stationed near American cemeteries to go and salute their brothers-in-arms fallen for the safety of their Land and the Liberty of the world. Later, when you have left Europe, rest assured that the same rites will be rendered them and with the same fervor. The remembrance of these valorous men will endure in our hearts.”

It did and still does. See here, Memorial Day 2018 celebrated in Chaumont, France.

Source: A Machine Gunner’s Notes – Photo: WW1, Memorial Day French soldiers, ladies & children paying tribute to the fallen American soldiers. Ministere de la Culture, France.

Memorial Day 1918 in France, Masevaux, Chaumont, Romagne

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"The remembrance of these valorous men will endure in our hearts.”

It did and still does, in 2026

See here Memorial Day 2026, remembering the sacrifice of these American heroes, at Suresnes American Cemetery, France

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                                                         WE WANT OUR MUMIE [sic]

WW1 Australian soldiers in Vignacourt, Northern France – Thuillier collection - See the beautiful collection here at the Australian War Memorial – Also the awesome book “The Lost Diggers” & its Facebook page.

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WE WANT. OUR. MUMIE.

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                                 ‘We were mothers, sisters and friends to thousands of men’

‘Over the canteen in France, the woman became a trusted guardian of that home back in America. To her were revealed joys and sorrows. Because of that loneliness, that loss of background, the soldier poured out to the canteen worker his dearest memories and dreams.

And the Y woman would leave her post behind the canteen for a little and wander from table to table for a word, or she would drink a cup of chocolate with a little group while they talked of farming, opening a store or returning to college after the war.

It was so little and yet it was so much in that everyday life of war—war so terrible—so long.’

1919, Addie Hunton, African American lady, volunteer YMCA worker in France, assigned to work with the 200,000 segregated black troops stationed in France – ‘Two Colored Women with the American Expeditionary Forces’ – Photo: WW1, Addie Hunton and a soldier in France

Note: here, a group photo showing Addie Hunton (the center of the back row) with her team & American soldiers, at the YMCA in Chambery, a leave area in France during WW1.

Short & good article “Addie Waites Hunton, a crusader for justice and women’s rights”

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‘We were mothers, sisters and friends to thousands of men’

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                            “I was most proud of the Canadian patch I wore on my shoulder.”

Canadian Ambulance Driver, Grace MacPherson, never let the sight of horrific wounds or the sound of anguished cries drag her down. If a patient called out in pain from the back of the ambulance, she responded: “You cut that out! Nobody’s riding in my ambulance moaning like that!” She refused to risk emotional involvement with her passengers. And yet she promised: “You’re going to get the best ride you ever had in your life.”

Legion Canada’s Military History magazine – Long Trip To Short Thinking - Photo: WW1, France, Grace MacPherson working on her ambulance.

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“You’re going to get the best ride you ever had in your life.”

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Circa 1914 - This British postcard illustrates Kaiser Wilhelm II in a bath, where he is about to grab a bar of soap labelled “Europe”. The caption “He won’t be happy till he gets it” suggests that he is willing to use force to capture Europe.

"No number of ‘adults’ were united or strong enough to control a Kaiser who was not simply a loose cannon but who also had some highly corrosive and strongly held ideas of his own, such as launching an arms race with Britain; securing Germany’s ‘place in the sun’; fighting the Yellow Peril; and supporting jihad by the Muslim world against the British, French and Russian empires"

François Heisbourg

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More than ever relevant.

Theodore Roosevelt died January 6, 1919 (age 60 years).

He volunteered for service in World War I, ten years after having served as U.S. president.

All his four sons served in the Great War. One, the youngest son, Quentin, was killed in it; two others, Theodore Jr. and Archie, were badly wounded.

Polls of historians and political scientists rank him as one of the greatest American presidents.

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

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                                            I wanted to send you an olive tree for the New Year,

                                                           But no matter how hard I tried,

                                                                     It would not grow.

100 years ago, french artist Robert Dieudonné’s greeting card, a symbolic plea for peace.

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Happy New Year and a plea for peace.

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“We surely have a fine time here, the Red Cross has a Christmas tree very nicely decorated and gave all of us a sock containing, nuts, cigarettes, tobacco, candy, figs, an orange, and even a mate to the sock!”

1918, American soldier’s letter his parents from the hospital in France – Albemarle County Historical Society – Photo: 1918 – “All the boys had hung up their socks and the Red Cross Santa had been there” – US National Archives

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The Red Cross Santa had been there.

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                                                  We were all thankful for what we had

“Just listen here……today at the grand celebration our commander received a telegram. He read it and then read it to the crowd. He read that our division would prepare immediately to proceed to a port of embarkation preparatory to sailing for America! We’ve been very happy ever since. Of course several days will be required for us to get rid of surplus property, clean our area and many other little things. So if orders don’t change (as usual), by the time this reaches you we probably will be nearly ready to start. So you see, we all have much to be thankful for today.

Was at a Thanksgiving meeting when the “leaving news” was given out. In my little town (Belleville) we had a very nice service at 9:30 a.m. Then went to the big town Pont-à-Mousson where most of our troops are located. Several of our bands for music and field exercises were the features of the day. No turkey, cranberry sauce or cake but we were all thankful for what we had.’

Tanksgiving 1918, Meuse sector, France, African American soldier’s letter to his wife – WW1 Letters, Actual letters written during WW1 – Photo: WW1 American soldiers’ field exercices — By African American veteran, Victor Daly

See YouTube video featuring African-American soldiers in the Meuse sector, France, during Fall 1918

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So you see, we all have much to be thankful for today.

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“November 11 1918 – It’s all over, we are no longer at war. What joy – the champagne flows. There’s a smile on everyone’s lips, no more fighting, we’ll be able to move without fearing a bullet, a shell, a rocket, or gas – the war is over!”

A French Soldier’s War Diary 1914-1918 -- Photo: November 11 1918, somewhere in France near the front, joyfull French soldiers celebrating the armistice.

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This was a war to end all wars, a war to make the world safe for democracy...

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“November 10 1918 – 10 P.M. LA PAIX EST SIGNEE!!

They’re playing the Marseillaise now. God be praised for His goodness. All the sky is lighted up with Verey lights and gun flashes. All the Frenchmen are shouting and shooting and we’re so plain dammed happy we don’t know where we are. All the section is out. 

LA Guerre Est FINIE!”

Ambulance driver’s sheer joy in Vive-St.-Eloi Belgium French border – Text & image: The Compensations of war

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‘We were making war against autocracy to make the world safe for democracy. In this war – I am proud to say that the Indian has exemplified the American spirit; that spirit of America which cannot be measured in miles or dollars, the spirit born of free American soil, air, and sun, every tree, hill and stream proclaims and sings it.’

The American Indian Magazine, 1918 – Photo: Illustration for an American soldier’s diary entry dated January 20 1919 – a group of WW1 French,  American, and Native Americans soldiers – Collection MNHM

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"We were making war against autocracy to make the world safe for democracy."

This is to celebrate "International Day of Democracy".

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                                                            You mean a lot to me.

Text source – Photo: WW1, during the holidays, a soldier-musician relaxing with his puppy. 14-18 Belgium

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"Dogs were our special favourites... and every stray dog we could find we would pick up and bring it home. Finally we had a huge collection of them... they were all good dogs."

WWI Centenary Series - William A. Bishop ·