Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I

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.