Full Description
Pulling readers down into the trenches with his intimate battlefield knowledge, John S.D Eisenhower, a retired brigadier general, delivers the complete story of the United States' role in World War I, from the fortunate selection of John 'Black Jack' Pershing as commanding general, to the astonishingly rapid buildup of troops, to America's decisive intervention. While the bulk of recent Great War accounts approach the conflict from British and French perspectives, YANKS focuses entirely on the often misrepresented story of the American Expeditionary Force which, in an incredible span of just 18 months, grew from an under-equipped band of 120,000 troops into a dominant force of four million. Eisenhower has mined little-known diaries and memoirs to illuminate an extrordinary cast of war heroes, both famous and unsung. With chapters focusing on legends like Pershing, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and Sergeant Alvin York, as well as the brave Privates (nicknamed doughboys) who fought on the front lines, this riveting work captures the birth of the modern Army, reasserting the true contributions of America in World War I.
Contents
CONTENTSList of MapsAuthor's NoteBOOK ONECREATING THE AEFPrologueONE A Visit from Papa JoffreTWO A Nation at WarTHREE The Selection of General PershingFOUR The Yanks ArriveFIVE Organizing the AEFSIX The Supreme War CouncilBOOK TWOAPPRENTICESHIP: THE OPENING BATTLESSEVEN Baptism of FireEIGHT The Calm Before the StormNINE Unified Command at Last!TEN "I Will Not Be Coerced"ELEVEN The Big Red One at CantignyTWELVE The 2d Division at Belleau WoodTHIRTEEN The Rock of the MarneFOURTEEN Soissons -- The Turning PointBOOK THREETHE AEF FIGHTS INDEPENDENTLY:ST. MIHIEL AND THE MEUSE-ARGONNEFIFTEEN St. Mihiel -- Dress RehearsalSIXTEEN The Race Against TimeSEVENTEEN Montfaucon -- Ominous VictoryEIGHTEEN ArgonneNINETEEN Feelers for PeaceTWENTY First Army Comes of AgeTWENTY-ONE The WindupTWENTY-TWO The Railroad Car at CompiegneTWENTY-THREE The End of the AEFEpilogueAPPENDIX MobilizationNotesBibliographyAcknowledgmentsIndex
