History of the World War: An authentic narrative of the world's greatest war

About this book

History of the World War is a comprehensive, fact‑driven chronicle of the conflict from 1914 to 1918, authored by Francis A. March, Ph.D., with the assistance of war correspondent Richard J. Beamish. The opening passage plunges the reader into the lesser‑known episode of the American 339th Infantry’s 1918 deployment to the Russian north, describing their training at Fort Custer, the hand‑over of Russian weapons, and the harsh Arctic conditions they endured while battling Bolshevik forces after the European armistice. The narrative proceeds to trace the soldiers’ morale, political pressure at home, and eventual return to the United States, setting the tone for a work that interweaves operational detail, personal experience, and broader strategic context.

Written in a formal, early‑20th‑century style, the text reads like an official report, complete with extensive maps, glossaries, and an introduction signed by General Peyton C. March. Its sober, documentary voice will appeal to readers who favor meticulous military histories, students of World War I seeking primary‑source‑type detail, and anyone interested in the American Expeditionary Forces’ post‑war engagements beyond the Western Front.

Opening lines

"During the summer of 1918, the U.S. Army's 85th Division, made up primarily of men from Michigan and Wisconsin, completed training at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Mich., and proceeded to England. The 5,000 troops of the division's 339th Infantry and support units realized that they were not being sent to France to join the great battles on the Western Front when they were issued Russian weapons and equipment and lectured on life in the Arctic regions. …

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