School textbooks rarely mention much about the Great War — World War I. Although the United States only participated in the final two yeas of the conflict, it changed the world. Drawing on letters published in Mississippi newspapers from across the state, this presentation tells the story of Mississippians who participated in the Great War. The letters were written by soldiers, aviators, sailors and YMCA and Red Cross workers. They reflect the experiences of young men as they endured training camp, voyaged across the Atlantic to France and participated in horrific battles. The letters also reveal the experiences of nurses and humanitarian workers, describing drills, uniforms, parades and parties–a”lighter” view of the war.
Anne Webster is a retired archivist at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.