The Chicago Daily News War Book for American Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines

“Germany can be beaten. Germany must be beaten. Germany will be beaten.” – General John. J. Pershing (pg. 2).

This fascinating little book, designed to fit conveniently in a pocket or knapsack, was published in 1918 by the Chicago Daily News. It was distributed, free of charge, to thousands of members of America’s Armed Forces preparing for overseas deployment during World War I.

Nearly 200 pages contain a variety of information pertaining to life in the military – officer insignia, a French dictionary, war songs, and codes/signals. Several maps are included, covering training posts across the United States, the Western Front, and the European Theater. While information on field artillery, foreign map symbols, knot tying, and gas detection are all useful during battle, the lack of certain elements like medical advice, ersatz recipes, or temporary amusements reflects a certain naivete on the realities of a ‘guidebook to war.’ The French-English dictionary is a telling example, with dozens of gastronomic entries but only a handful of words related to military terminology!