Our Part in the Great War

In Short

This work is an immediate, firsthand account of the Western Front during the First World War, combining personal reporting, hospital visits, ambulance driving, and gathered testimonies of military occupation. Arthur Gleason documents the devastation of French and Belgian towns, details the selfless work of American volunteer ambulance drivers and medical staff, and presents sworn accounts of wartime atrocities. The book endures as a passionate contemporary argument against American neutrality, offering an intimate, unvarnished portrait of human resilience, civic duty, and the stark clash between democratic values and aggressive militarism.

The Story

The narrative opens three years into the conflict as France prepares to celebrate its national holiday amid immense suffering. Rather than broken by the strain, the country has found a profound, quiet unity across all classes and political lines. The initial hesitation of the war’s early days has vanished, replaced by an absolute determination to resist German aggression to the very end. The struggle is viewed not merely as a military conflict, but as a defense of civilization, where every spiritual and intellectual resource of the nation has been mobilized.

Moving from broad reflections on national morale to the immediate work of relief, the narrative examines the operations of the American Hospital in Paris. Here, wounded soldiers from all walks of life—from high-ranking generals to young sailors—receive meticulous, inventive care. The hospital staff devises complex wooden framing and swinging splint appliances to drain compound fractures comfortably, transforming the wards into places of healing and hope. Personal connections suddenly bring the vast scale of the war home, highlighting how individual lives intersect with the machinery of military medical care.

From the quiet routine of the hospital, the scope expands to the perilous front lines, particularly the rugged sectors of Alsace and the shattered ruins of Verdun. Young American volunteers drive small, nimble ambulances over mountain tracks rutted by heavy artillery shells, hauling wounded soldiers under direct fire, through blizzards, and past wrecked vehicles. These accounts portray both the grim reality of casualties dying during transport over rough roads and the lighthearted, resilient humor of the young drivers operating in constant danger.

Beyond the frontline medical service, the focus shifts to the devastated villages of Belgium and France, such as Clermont and Gerbéviller. Through direct observation, official reports, and interviews with local leaders and survivors, the text documents systematic destruction. Incendiary devices manufactured specifically for civilian demolition, the execution of non-combatants, and the destruction of homes leave a trail of ruined lives. Yet amid these horrors, the local inhabitants—especially the resilient women and dedicated local officials—demonstrate an unbroken moral strength that sustains the nation's resolve.

The concluding sections turn to a direct appeal to the American public. The author sharply critiques the isolationism and passive neutrality of certain domestic groups, arguing that true internationalism requires a strong, morally grounded commitment to justice and national integrity. By contrasting the perversion of German militarism with the democratic devotion of France, the narrative culminates in a call for America to recognize its historical ties to freedom and actively support the Allied cause.

How It Unfolds

The spirit of France France marks its national birthday with a serene, total commitment to see the war through to the end. Political and social divisions melt away into a unified national resolve to eliminate the threat of foreign conquest forever.

Inside the military hospital At the American Hospital near Paris, innovative wooden splints and swinging drainage devices help save severely wounded soldiers. Patients from all ranks find meticulous medical care, transforming the vast wastage of war into individual stories of recovery.

Ambulances on the front lines American volunteer ambulance drivers navigate treacherous mountain paths in Alsace and shattered streets in Verdun to evacuate wounded men. They endure shellfire, harsh winter blizzards, and rough terrain to bring casualties safely out of the firing zone.

Witnessing the ruins of war A journey through burned towns like Clermont reveals the immense physical destruction of civilian life and property. Despite losing their homes, local mayors, villagers, and rural women maintain an extraordinary, quiet dignity that reinforces military morale.

The accounts of invasion Detailed testimonies, including reports from local leaders and Sister Julie at Gerbéviller, detail the systematic burning of homes and the tragic loss of non-combatants. These accounts highlight the calculated nature of wartime destruction inflicted upon peaceful communities.

A call to American conscience The focus turns to American public opinion, sharply challenging pacifism and strict neutrality. The narrative insists that true peace cannot exist without standing against aggression and supporting nations fighting for their self-preservation.

The People

• Arthur Gleason: The author and observer who travels through the war zones, hospitals, and ruined villages. He seeks to gather direct evidence of the conflict, record the work of relief units, and persuade his fellow Americans of the moral necessity of supporting the Allies.
• The American Ambulance Drivers: A group of young volunteer college graduates, including drivers like Luke Doyle and Douglas, who operate light ambulances near the front lines. They risk their lives under direct shellfire, hauling wounded men down steep mountain tracks and through ruined cities while maintaining a resilient spirit.
• Sister Julie: A courageous religious sister in the village of Gerbéviller who remains behind during its destruction. She witnesses the burning of the town and the loss of its citizens, providing a clear, unshakable account of the community's suffering and endurance.
• The Mayor of Clermont: A crippled official who lost his home to fire but continues to serve his community from a hilltop cottage. He embodies the patient, quiet gentleness and deep sadness of the local leaders whose sons are fighting at the front.
• Bonnell: A young American fighting with the French Foreign Legion who is treated at the American Hospital. His presence connects the author directly back to long-standing family friendships in New York, personalizing the distant war effort.

In Its Own Voice

"The premier race of the world goes forth to war."

Reflecting on the unified, spiritual resolve of the French nation as it faces the immense sacrifices of the conflict.

"The little American cars are like rabbits. They dip into an obus hole, bounce up again and spin on."

Describing the agile ambulance vehicles navigating the shell-cratered, ruined roads near the Verdun front.

"She has never drunk any cup of joy so deeply as this cup of her agony."

Observing how shared suffering has forged an unshakable sense of purpose across the entire population.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text examines the nature of national character under extreme crisis. It contrasts a healthy, self-sacrificing patriotism that defends home and democratic values against a rigid, state-controlled militarism that justifies any atrocity in the pursuit of power. The narrative argues that true internationalism cannot be built on passive neutrality or abstract theories that ignore clear moral wrongs; rather, it requires an active defense of small nations and human rights. Beneath the direct reporting of hospital care and frontline transport lies a fundamental inquiry into individual duty, asking what free citizens owe to target nations struggling to preserve their culture, land, and liberty.

Why Read It Today

This account offers a vivid, unfiltered look at the Western Front through the eyes of an articulate American witness writing before his country's full entry into the war. Readers interested in early twentieth-century history, military medicine, and wartime journalism will appreciate its immediate, unvarnished detail. The writing balances precise descriptions of field hospitals and shattered landscapes with urgent commentary on international politics and civilian morale.

The text reflects the strong period attitudes and intense patriotic conviction of its era, written with an explicit desire to stir American sympathy for the Allied cause. It makes no attempt at detached neutrality, presenting its evidence with a clear moral stance. What endures is the book's vivid portrayal of everyday human resilience—from the ingenuity of field surgeons and the bravery of young ambulance drivers to the quiet endurance of villagers rebuilding their lives among the ruins.

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