"And they thought we wouldn't fight"

About this book

Floyd Phillips Gibbons’s “And They Thought We Wouldn’t Fight” is a first‑person account of the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front, written by the Chicago Tribune’s official war correspondent. The book opens with a series of formal dedications and commendations, letters from General Pershing, Marshal Foch, and the French General Headquarters, highlighting Gibbons’s decorations, including the Croix de Guerre, and his reputation for bravery at places such as the Bois de Belleau. After these official endorsements, a foreword outlines Gibbons’s pre‑war exploits in Mexico and his daring decision to sail the liner Laconia instead of a protected vessel, a choice that led to his survival of a torpedo attack and the transmission of a decisive call to arms. The narrative then moves into a detailed chapter on that sinking, setting the stage for a chronicle that blends battlefield reportage with personal experience of the war’s logistical and human challenges.

The voice is that of a seasoned journalist who writes with vivid immediacy, retaining period spelling and occasional dialect while avoiding literary flourish. Gibbons’s style is direct, punctuated by graphic descriptions of combat, official correspondence, and his own injuries, giving readers a gritty sense of the front‑line reality. This work will appeal to readers interested in World War I history, especially those who value authentic battlefield narratives and primary‑source perspectives from a correspondent who literally fought alongside the troops.