A Book Discussion on ‘Over There’ by Byron Farwell

‘Over There: The United States in the Great War, 1917-1918’ discusses the true story of war which involves America’s first war overseas that happened in these years. The said war seems to be a prelude of the much terrifying First World War. The 1917 war of US troop has been labeled as the WWI Red Scare. In this time, the US is aggressively fighting with French, British, Germany, and later on with Russia.

Byron Farwell’s book tries to bring out American experiences such as soldier’s heroism and bravery, the politics, industrial participation, and military organization during this time. The book introduces the topic by talking about where the war believably has begun. Considering the argument of the Theodore Roosevelt along with other co-interventionists, the book explains why and how the President Thomas Woodrow Wilson by that time is being left alone while trying to personally control and negotiate with the Germans.

Says the book, Wilson was once been named isolationist. Although not properly written in the book the reason why the interventionist group has viewed Wilson as being so slow in managing the war, Wilson’s sacrifices however results to having the armistice treaty which signed by the two parties, the US and the Germany, at the Compiegne Forest railway carriage on November 11, 1918, as it suggested as the ending of the battle, and this was only discussed briefly somewhere in the later part of the text.

Summing it up, Farwell’s book tells history of the Red Scare involving significant personalities. Its main idea has the argument that the people behind the Red Scare are convincingly unprepared physically and politically. It describes the dilemma that despite having the advances of technology for their weaponry and artillery, it has no use after all as the soldier’s remained unfamiliar using it, and thus preferred utilizing the usual primitive way of combat, even for the logistics, messaging, and strategies.

The book also writes opinion of some citizens, soldiers, and officers of the larger American Expeditionary Force (AEF), statistical number of the casualties and damages, several maps and waypoints, detailed participation of the historical figures, and some pictures of the war. Having all of these as sources strengthens up author’s research study and interpretation of his subject.

Byron Farwell, being one of the well-acclaimed authors, opts to write a genre which entails military stories as well as US history. His approach provides easy reading and attracts audience who are fond of US forces’ tales by putting not just tale itself but also language used by and in the organization, and thus makes way for the readers to not just be informed and well-educated of the topic but likewise entertained.

Lastly, Farwell makes a proper justification of the pre-World War I and the active participation of US having those good chronicles and interpretation. Hence, this book would serve as a great primer of US history for the students and even for the younger generation.

R E F E R E N C E Farwell, Byron. Over There: The United States in the Great War, 1917-1918. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.

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