My Fellow Soldiers: General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War by Andrew Carroll

My Fellow Soldiers: General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War Reviews

• 
  David Allen Hines

  As a student of the Great War, I seldom come across books where I learn something new, and too many books are too narrowly focused or boringly academic. This book was a home run for me: I learned new things, it was broadly focused on the American experience in World War I, and very well written and enjoyable to read.
  
  Using American Expeditionary Force Commander in Chief General John Pershing as a focal point, this book relates the American experience in the Great War. While the reader gets a wonderful overall perspective on the war, the author uses some highly personalized vignettes drawn from letters, diaries and period news articles that brings the people and the experience to life. He explains the challenges America faced, needing essentially to quickly create a million man army from scratch in a period of mere months and transport it across the Atlantic, infested with German U-Boats; he covers the basic battles and strategies of the war in a way any reader can understand; he explores the experience of black American soldiers, who were treated far better by the French than by their own countryman; the pioneering aviators; the vital and over-looked role of female nurses; and he explores how John J. Pershing came to command and successfully lead the American forces in what was a highly political alliance.
  
  At a time when the roles of women and minorities in past events seem to be being pushed regardless of historical reality, and often to the detriment of the experiences of white males, this writer seemlessly weaves the story and experiences of black, white, and female Americans in the Great War in a way that is really remarkable. No one who reads this book will feel any one group is spotlighted at the expense of others; more than likely, regardless of whether you are a white male, female, or black American, you will learn something about each experience reading this book and learn about America's participation.
  
  With the war's recent centenary, a plethora of books on World War I emerged; many rushed; many too academic or too specialized; many too long or too short; My Fellow Soldiers is one of the rare good ones: Short enough to not be a burden to read; wide-ranging, yet personalized; balanced; and very readable. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn about the American experience in World War I.
  
  
• 
  William J.

  This is a very different perspective of World War I. It is not a history of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) or of the War itself. Nor is it a biography of General Pershing. It tells the story of WWI beginning with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and spouse and the cause of the war using letters initially between the Kaiser and his cousin the King of England in the forward. He then transitions to introduce General Pershing serving in El Paso, Texas and uses letters between the General and his spouse, Frankie. The Author, Andrew Carroll, again using letters of those involved, writes about the first Americans to enter World War I. Most were in the French Foreign Legion but others started Ambulance Services and even some nurses went over. The books chapters cover the Punitive Expedition and Americans in WWI prior to the United States joining, US war preparations where then Lieutenant Harry Truman is introduced through letters to his fiance, Bess Wallace. General Pershing and his relations with the African-American soldiers who were used mainly in service positions is covered as well as the record of the Black Soldiers who fought under French command is reviewed. The story of the war journalist is presented and perspectives from Nurses are given. There is a chapter devoted to Captain Harry, future President Truman, and his relationship with his soldiers. The air war is examined through the letters of pilots to family and friends. The war on the ground then is told through the eyes of many of the soldiers who participated.
  The author has made the book easy and interesting reading interspersing letters from participants. Mr. Carroll does follow the lives of the survivors and some of the sad results are the suicides of twin sisters Dorothea and Gladys Cromwell, nurses who jumped overboard on the return trip the US most likely because of the trauma they had experienced throughout the War. Captain Whittlesey who commanded the famous "Lost Battalion" committed suicide less than a week after serving as a pallbearer for the entombment of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Of those "Harlem Hellfighters" who fought with the French Army, two who received the Croix de Guerre for their bravery from the French received no recognition from the US Government until 2015 when Henry Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor. Eugene Bullard died in obscurity. In this 100th Anniversary year of World War I, I recommend this book as an excellent way to familiarize yourself to that faded era of American history.
• 
  Bill

  This book was published in 2017 and I suspect the author wanted to cash in on the 100th anniversary of the US entry into the war. This is a pretty cursory survey of America's experience in this conflict, but the author does a good job of hitting all the salient points. Kudos for good maps! And also for a good basic narrative from start to finish. The chapter on race problems within the US military (and the US in general) is outstanding.
  
  My problems with the books is chiefly this: the author apparently works with and has access to historical archives and he makes a point of telling how important the memoirs and letters of the participants are to understanding this period. But he mostly draws from the memoirs of a handful of participants (Pershing, Patton, Truman). There must be hundreds if not thousands of letters from the doughboys to draw from. Another nit to pick: there no footnotes and the end notes are terrible. This ain't a Ken Burns "Civil War" effort by a long shot. It is well written and a quick read.
• 
  Carol

  Carefully researched and written history of General John Pershing and many American who fought in the Great War, this book earns its place on the shelf of WWI history. I read this because my knowledge of that war was greatly lacking and I wanted to learn about Pershing.
  
  I am amazed at the scope of this book. Andrew Carroll, Jr. starts with General John Pershing experience with the Pancho Villa Expedition and includes well known officers who were active in WWII and those who never gained recognition but sorely deserve it. He fills you in on so many areas too. The author covers the conditions of war, the reluctance of Wilson to get into it, the terrible conditions that the fighting men had in the trenches including the Germans using nerve gas, the French Foreign Legion, the Lafayette Escadrille.
  
  The story about Private Needham Roberts and Henry Johnson, is a stark contrast to the bigotry inspired by President Woodrow Wilson inspired that black soldiers faced. Those two exhibited incredible bravery worthy and were highly praised by General Pershing. That part stands out to me and many other parts like the letters about Quentin Roosevelt's death. Part of what makes this history book more alive than a statement of facts is the letters of the family and there are plenty in this book.
  
  I highly recommend this book to all history lovers but do caution that the print copy is in small print. It was a struggle for me to read with my aging eyes so those of you with the same problem may want to find another way of reading the story.
  
  I received this Advanced Reading Copy by making a selection from Amazon Vine books but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review. I also posted this review only on sites meant for reading not for selling.
• 
  Michael Whitehead

  I was looking for a book about Pershing during the Great War but the visions of this book was broader than Pershing. The focus of the book was on the written correspondence Americans participating in the war were sending to the United States. This approach is similar to previous books by this author.
  
  The author’s narrative primarily provided context to the selected letters. These letters included future famous characters in American history, like Truman and Roosevelt. This isn’t the book to learn all about the First World War, or General Pershing, for the matter.
  
  A persistent irritant (to me, at least) was the author’s lack of knowledge about the military and military organizations. These factual errors led me to wonder if there were other errors.
  
  Nonetheless, the letters were abundant throughout the narrative and provided fresh perspectives to the many historical events.
• 
  Michael Grizer (He-Him)

  Outstanding book. The author seamlessly integrates a narrative of WWI with letters from Soldiers, some very famous, some not.
• 
  Josef

  A very intimate and personal look at the US role in WWI and a very easy and ensnaring read.
• 
  Rona Simmons

  Andrew Carroll tells General John Pershing’s story perhaps in the best way it should be told and as the general himself might have approved. Told, not as a traditional biography with a tight focus and strict chronology, but through glimpses of Pershing in the eyes of his contemporaries, some who knew him well and others who only knew of the legend of the man.
  
  In the opening pages, Carroll slyly reveals his intent, sharing a 1914 photo of Pershing surrounded by a few “fellow soldiers.” The soldiers include Mexican General Álvaro Obregón, General Francisco “Pancho” Villa, and over Pershing’s left shoulder, a young George S. Patton, Jr. And, just as the first Americans are deploying to Europe, Carroll has us gallop on horseback across the American southwest and the Mexican border along with Pershing and Patton as they hunt for but fail to capture Pancho Villa.
  
  Still months before Pershing arrives in Europe to command the American Expeditionary Force, Carroll provides a vivid and brutal account of trench warfare, the ill-equipped soldiers, and the lack of communication and coordination across the battlefield. During this aside, while the US observes from its position of neutrality, we meet a few of the first Americans on the European continent. Well-bred young men from America’s upper crust like Kiffin Rockwell and Victor Chapman. Wounded through the thigh but eager to continue fighting, Rockwell joins the fledgling air force. Victor, a “wealthy and idealistic Harvard graduate who had been studying in Paris when the war broke had joined the Foreign Legion,” then later joined Rockwell as a pilot. These two fought alongside ranchers like Maury Maverick and young black men like Private Henry Johnson and Private Needham Roberts of the 369th Infantry Regiment, a group later known as the Hellcats and under Pershing’s Command. The soldiers’ stories are woven together with that of Pershing, in a style reminiscent of Winston Groom’s Forrest Gump, who moved through life in a series of encounters with famous personages. Pershing brushes up against the likes of Rockwell, Chapman, Maverick, Johnson, and Roberts, as well as Patton, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Eddie Rickenbacker, Harry Truman, and George Marshall.
  
  Carroll says Pershing “seemed destined to become a soldier since childhood.” He was a disciplined man, dedicated to his pursuits, and standing fast on his principles, but wounded emotionally after the deaths of his wife and three of his children early in his career. More Bradley or Marshall than Patton, he “vented his frustrations privately and kept his cool in public and with the press.” And, in one telling, full-on description, Carroll says: “In person he was magnetic. With his ramrod straight posture, sharp blue eyes, and square jaw … he emanated strength and had the bearing of a true leader, someone who could inspire millions of troops.” Fittingly, we learn that after Pershing died in 1948, he was buried as he preferred, not in a grand memorial but in Arlington next to his troops.
  
  Pershing was a model of a leader, one we could use today and someone we should know better than we do. Carroll’s book helps us immensely in that pursuit.
  
• 
  SundayAtDusk

  A reader would be hard pressed to find a more highly readable and painlessly educational book about World War I than this one. Starting with General John Pershing’s life and the Pancho Villa Expedition, author Andrew Carroll sets the stage for the entrance of the United States into World War I. Even before American troops were sent to Europe, there were Americans fighting in the French Foreign Legion. Mr. Carroll does not forget those men. Next, it’s onward to the American ambulance drivers, surprisingly both men and women; and the World War I pilots, in their unbelievably primitive airplanes. Even more unbelievable was how unprepared the United States was for a European war; how untrained the soldiers were; how little supplies were available when the first troops arrived in Europe, including coats and boots; how limited the rifles were. What was most unbelievable, though, was how any soldiers survived the horrid conditions of trench warfare; the deadly mustard gas; the daily exposure to bullets, bombs and death; the blown apart and rotting bodies.
  
  While Mr. Carroll does not skimp on the ugly details of World War I, he also does not present them in a sensational way. Even a highly sensitive reader could read this book and not have to stop reading. For in this book, in this war, is much beauty. The reader is introduced to the most beautiful, courageous individuals--the pilots, the Army nurses, the average ground soldiers, the black soldiers, the rich soldiers, the soldiers who did not give up after being horribly wounded. Some of those in the story even wrote in their letters home about how beautiful the French countryside was, before it was incinerated, how beautiful the clouds were while flying among them. It was hard not to think while looking at pictures of General John Pershing what a beautiful Army general he was, just the man to fight and win the war. The war that was suppose to end all wars. Alas, we humans are too stupid to end all wars.
  
  (Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)
• 
  Greg Mcneilly

  MY FELLOW SOLDIERS: General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War | Andrew Carroll, Penguin Press, (2017), p416
  
  My Fellow Soldiers is a compelling account of the role played by General John Pershing and the Americans who served in the First World War. Authored by Andrew Carroll, it is a detailed and informative account of the experiences of American soldiers.
  
  From the volunteers who traveled to France to support the allied efforts before America entered the war as airmen, soldiers, and medics, this story traces at the human level the personal stories of those who helped stop German aggression. He uses Pershing’s story from the campaign pursuing Poncho Villa to his command of the US Expeditionary Forces in WWI. Still, he weaves around him the stories of the everyday contributor informed by their personal letters and diaries.
  
  Names everyone will recognize from the next War got their tutoring in the first: George Marshall, Harry Truman, Bill Donovan, and George S. Patton.
  
  Pershing, whose brand was that of a starchy, stiff-upper-lip disciplinarian, is unveiled at the personal level. His wife and three daughters were killed in a house fire two years before the war. Only his six-year-old son survived. After that, he had an intense romance with Patton’s sister and then, while in France, fell madly in love with a young French painter.
  
  In the effort, Carroll brings forth the stories of often overlooked contributors, women, and African American soldiers. He also details the diplomatic tensions between the French, English, and Americans in coordinating action.
  
  One of the strengths of Carroll's book is his attention to detail. He provides a wealth of information about the logistics of the war effort, including the difficulties faced by American troops in securing adequate food, medical supplies, and training. This is a significant contribution and a compelling read for those interested in learning more about an often-overlooked conflict.
• 
  Eric

  As other reviewers have noted, this is not a deep dive into the life of Gen. Pershing, nor is it a detailed narrative of the AEF and America's contribution to WWI. It does provide a good general overview of both topics told mostly through the diaries and letters of Pershing and his fellow soldiers. Carroll clearly built open his work on War Letters to produce this book before adding the additional historical details around America's march to war.
  
  This book was an enjoyable read. I learned much about Pershing from the hunt for Poncho Villa to his forming and leading the AEF. Many letters are printed in nearly full which provide a nice personal touch and really bring the reader into the story.
  
  The book also covers some of Pershing's junior officers, including Harry Truman, Douglas McArthur and George Patton. It was interesting to read about the early careers of these future leaders as well.
  
  Overall, I would recommend the book but do not expect a detailed narrative of Pershing or the AEF.
• 
  Jamie

  First and foremost, big thanks to Goodreads for me winning this in a giveaway.
  
  In other news, this book is excellent. It's well-written and easy to read, when is always an important factor, whether non-fiction or fiction. The personal stories all tied into the narrative smoothly and helped bring hundred-year-old history to a more relatable level. These stories help prove the well done research, emphasized also by the notes and bibliography.
  
  The title was well chosen. This is a look at the people involved in the whole effort, from volunteer nurses to future presidents. General Pershing is used as the tie that binds everyone together, rather than a complete focus and biography on him, though it certainly contains lots of information about the AEF commander and his own personal tragedy.
  
  Really, the only major downside for me was that my copy was an uncorrected advance copy. I look forward to seeing a corrected edition and the index that was absent from my own.
• 
  Edy Gies

  This is a beautiful and compelling story of the Americans who fought in the Great War. It tells the story of so much more than just Persing. There are parts that were very difficult to swallow such as the description of the treatment of African-American troops. Everyone should read that part to understand the awful treatment of these people who wanted nothing more than to be accepted into a country whose creed was that all men are created equal. The stories of Pershing and his leadership were enlightening. He was a great example of someone who honored doing what was right and promoted men who told him the truth like George C. Marshal over others who refused to stand up to him. This is not easy and takes a very special kind of man. All fans of the Great War should read this one!
• 
  Chris Fluit

  A great book. Carroll chose to share an up-close view of the Great War, relying on the personal letters of everyone from Gen. Pershing down to tell the story of the war through the people who lived through it. He's very up front that this isn't a historical overview but a sample of personal accounts. It reminded me the Ken Burns documentaries or Peter Jackson's They Will Never Grow Old. I felt like a learned a lot as Carroll covered often-ignored facets of war such as ambulance drivers, nurses, artillery men and the grave recovery corps after the war. I also got to know Pershing, Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, Rickenbacker, Truman and York as people rather than as historical figures. Highly recommended!
• 
  Gregory

  Not really a biography of Pershing. More of using him as the main lense on which to tell the story of Americans in WWI. For example, much of of American involvement in 1914-1917 is told through the stories of those who had volunteered for the French Legion and the Lafayette Escquadrille. Even after American involvement, it told as much about Alvin York, Quentin Roosevelt, George Marshall, Harry Truman, and others as Pershing.
  
  One of Carroll's significant achievements is to take the austere and seemingly distant Pershing and turn him into a flesh and blood human being with the all the quirks, assumptions, feelings, trials, tribulations, and emotions we all experience.
• 
  Carol

  This book provides a look at WWI as presented through from soldiers in the war, particularly General John Pershing. It helped my understanding of the war, particularly American's late entry into the war and even later entry into combat. Correspondence is well edited, with excerpts from letters providing insights without extraneous material. The author (Andrew Carroll) is involved with The Legacy Project, which collects war correspondence from US military actions. The book, similar to how the letters were presented, was about the "right length", leaving me feeling both enlightened and interested in reading more.
  
  
• 
  Tom

  This is not just John Pershing's tale, though he remains its centerpiece; rather it is an extraordinary recounting of many of the Americans who fought the War To End All Wars and thus an almost elegiac tribute to all. Here are unkown nurses, Harry Truman, Kermit Roosevelt and tens of thousands of doughboys, each of whom Carroll describes with empathy and power. Yes, this is a story of war, but it is not simply a "war story", but something more powerful and insightful. Brilliant! Simply Brilliant!
  
• 
  George

  This is a very different perspective of the " Generals" series. Told through the eyes of persons who lived in Pershing's orbit: Truman, MacArthur, and many who were a lot less famous. Thus, it's not really a biography, more of a history lesson around the early twentieth century. Here is a bit of the story: while searching for Pancho Via in the American Southwest and Mexico, most of JJP's family died in a house fire. He received many letters of condolence from people around the world.....one from Pancho Via himself! So, in the course of reading this history lesson, we get a view of Pershing.
• 
  Dave Hoff

  Excellent history of WW1, first 2 chapters, unsure, 3rd picks up the battles with Panco Villa in Mexico by Pershing's men. With Germany pushing Mexico and Japan to invade the US, Wilson gets off the fence and congress declares war on Germany. Poor Pershing, not only had to fight the Germans, he had to fight the French, British, and jealous US Generals. Many well known names crop up in the book. Geo. Marshall, Patton, Harry Truman, Eddie Rickenbacher.
• 
  Shirley (stampartiste)

  I have been wanting to read a book about World War I for years, as my knowledge of that conflict is so limited. This book was the perfect introduction to that war and the people who were involved in it. I love it when a history book inspires me to delve further into some event or person. Carroll introduced so many events and people, I could spend a lifetime satisfying my curiosity. This book is so well written and documented that I can't wait to read his other books. An outstanding author!
• 
  Francis

  Very interesting history of the SAS through World War II. Incredibly brave men.
  The only thing I did not like about the book is a trend that is very common, that is to attempt to identify the sexual preferences of historical figures. Unfortunately the person discussed is not around to defend their reputation.
  Evidently in today’s sexually charged world sexuality dominates everything, even combat and war.
  Please, just stick to the history and leave the personal conjectures alone.
• 
  Michelle Ule

  Excellent overview of the American involvement in WWI through the lens of individuals--certainly JJ Pershing, but also other notables such as Quentin Roosevelt, Eddie Rickenbocker and Harry S. Truman.
  
  I've read a lot of WWI history and this is an excellent introduction to the American point of view, full of details I didn't know and ending with a Rickenbocker's poignant account of flying over the trenches on November 11, 1918 at 11 am--the moment the war ended.
  
  
• 
  Jan

  A look at the American experience of WWI, much of the material was lifted from the letters and diaries of the people who lived through it. It's immensely readable, informative, and interesting. I could hardly put it down. I particularly enjoyed the way it was organized, so I felt like I could finish out a chapter with a strong understanding of, say, the American fighter pilot experience of WWI. The stories in this book are tragic, to be sure, but also utterly fascinating.
• 
  Andrea Engle

  Based in part on the discovery of previously unpublished correspondence from General John J. Pershing during the 1st World War, this incredible book is part biography of Pershing, part history of the American involvement in World War I, the war to end all wars … Beautifully illustrated with maps, photographs, and original documents, this volume has a marvelous, six-page Bibliography for further study … breath-taking …