The Last Million: How They Invaded France—and England

In Short

Written by a British officer as a tribute to the American doughboy, this war narrative charts the journey of young recruits crossing the Atlantic to serve on the Western Front. It follows several American soldiers through training camps in England, behind-the-lines operations in France, and direct combat in the Argonne. Rather than presenting a gritty, dark war memoir, the book blends cultural observations, military humor, and genuine respect for the American troops' spirit. It has endured as a vivid, warm contemporary record of transatlantic camaraderie and the human side of the First World War.

The Story

The narrative opens with a speculative glimpse inside the German high command, where Field Marshal von Hindenburg and the Kaiser weigh their strategic options. Recognizing that massive waves of American troops are pouring across the Atlantic, Hindenburg calculates that Germany’s only path to victory is to launch an all-out offensive to crush the British forces before the American presence can decisively alter the balance of the war.

Meanwhile, thousands of young Americans board British transports to make the dangerous ocean passage. Most of the recruits are rural youths and civilian volunteers who have never seen the ocean, let alone experienced war. Onboard, life becomes an adventurous novelty filled with boat drills, life-jacket single-step dances, and terrifying yet thrilling stories spun by veteran stewards. When a German submarine periscope briefly pops up in the middle of their convoy, it is met with immediate gunfire, depth-charges, and wild excitement from civilian passengers like young Frances Lane.

Upon landing, the troops enter a darkened, war-weary England living under blackout rules and severe fuel rationing. Marching silently through dimly lit streets, they find only modest banners reading "WELCOME, AMERICA!" and "GOD-SPEED!" In London, doughboys such as Boone Cruttenden, Ed Gillette, Al Thompson, and Joe McCarthy explore the city alongside local guides. They marvel at London’s underground transit system, laugh at stubborn taxi drivers ignoring passengers, and witness acts of quiet street-level generosity, such as a London flower-girl giving carnations to wounded soldiers, prompting McCarthy to give her three days' pay in return.

Moving across the English Channel, the troops arrive in France. They adapt to military supply routines (the S.O.S., or Service of Supply), navigate muddy communication trenches, and come to grips with foreign languages and cultures. Humorous miscommunications occur, such as when Joseph, an African American doughboy, tries to converse with a French colonial soldier, only to realize they share no common language. Sightseeing civilians like Frances Lane and Helen Ryker occasionally wander too close to active artillery lines, misinterpreting the sounds of distant shellfire as minor curiosities.

Eventually, the unit takes its place in the front lines and experiences the grim realities of trench warfare. They endure incoming artillery, mortar fire, and shell-hole ducking. During a night raid, Major Powers organizes a counter-defense using Vickers machine guns, completely cutting off a German raiding party. Later, in the heavy fighting of the Argonne Forest, Boone Cruttenden is wounded while leading an assault on a German machine-gun nest, an attack made possible by a soldier named Smithers who bravely rushes into the open holding an American flag.

The story culminates on November 11, 1918. While officers reflect solemnly on the massive loss of life over the preceding four years, news of the Armistice breaks out. In a Paris theatre, an actor walks to the footlights to declare that the war is over, prompting a tearful, triumphant performance of the Marseillaise that unites performers, poilus, and American soldiers in celebration.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins American troops board British ocean liners, adapting to life at sea with boat drills, thick life-preservers, and sea-monster-like tall tales told by veteran ship stewards. As the convoy nears port, a brief submarine sighting triggers an immediate barrage of depth charges and deck-gun fire, giving the eager recruits their very first taste of combat excitement.

Arrival in a quiet land The doughboys land in England and take night trains to blackout-restricted staging towns where public lights are dim and celebrations are hushed due to military secrecy. Walking the streets of London, recruits interact with locals, observe unfamiliar customs like stubborn taxi drivers, and witness direct reminders of the war when wounded soldiers arrive at transport stations.

Entering the war zone Crossing into France, the division undergoes final preparation while learning the expansive logistics of the Service of Supply. Soldiers adjust to foreign speech, muddy roads, and primitive dugout accommodations, while naive civilian visitors occasionally wander toward active salients under the impression that front-line artillery is merely an exciting spectacle.

Life in the trenches The battalion moves up to take over a sector of the front line, navigating dark, narrow communication trenches while carrying heavy equipment. They undergo their first artillery duel, taking minor casualties, repairing damaged sandbag parapets, and learning firsthand that heavy shellfire quickly destroys temporary dugout shelters.

Repelling the enemy raid Warned of an impending German raid, Major Powers rapidly positions machine guns and aligns bayonets in the support trench. When the German assault party breaches the wire, it meets a wall of defensive machine-gun fire and a fierce American counter-charge that isolates and completely wipes out the raiders.

The assault in the Argonne During heavy forest combat, Lieutenant Boone Cruttenden's unit is pinned down by a concealed machine-gun nest. A soldier named Smithers draws the enemy's fire by charging into a clearing waving an American flag, allowing Cruttenden's party to flank the position and neutralize it, though Cruttenden is wounded in the process.

The final hour As rumors of peace spread, officers gather in dugouts to discuss the war's enormous human cost and their uncertain personal futures. In a Paris theatre, a performer steps out to announce that the Armistice is signed, sparking an emotional outburst as soldiers, actors, and French citizens sing the Marseillaise together.

The People

• Boone Cruttenden wants to prove himself as a leader and serve effectively on the front line; despite the constant danger of artillery and machine-gun fire, he maintains his cool resolve, eventually getting wounded while successfully capturing a German machine-gun nest.
• Miss Frances Lane wants excitement, novelty, and firsthand war stories to write home about; her naive eagerness often leads her directly into risky situations, such as walking into active salients, though she remains an enthusiastic cheerleader for the troops.
• Joe McCarthy acts as a hardened, cynical soldier who pretends to be indifferent to his surroundings; however, his gruff exterior softens when he gives away three days' pay to a London flower-girl who gifted carnations to wounded soldiers.
• Ed Gillette wants a taste of traditional soldierly adventure while secretly longing for the comforts of home; he spends his off-duty hours tracking war news, praising Allied victories, and dreaming of the day he can return to the United States.
• Major Floyd wants to guide his men safely through the conflict while harboring deep grief over the loss of his original 1914 comrades; he survives to see the end of the war, feeling both proud of the doughboys and hesitant about returning to civilian life.
• Colonel (Unnamed Battalion Commander) wants to accomplish his military objectives while preserving the lives of his troops; he maintains high standards under intense stress and dreams only of sending a cable to his wife and children in Tennessee once peace arrives.

In Its Own Voice

"Stations and trains were lit by feeble gas or oil lamps; all glass was covered over with a film of soot, and the brightest illumination was provided by the glow of the locomotive furnaces as the train rumbled asthmatically into a station."

A look back at the original soot-choked London Underground before electric traction modernized the city's transit.

"He stood there shouting to the enemy to come out and fight. He yelled,—‘I see you, you Dutchmen! You Squareheads! You Slobs! Look at me! Look at this li’l old Flag! Fire on that if you dare!’"

Jim Nichols describes how Private Smithers drew enemy fire in the Argonne by charging into the open with a flag attached to his bayonet.

"If the girl in the centre was Paris, this shining, grimy, patient, cheerful, wistful, triumphant throng around her was France."

The scene on a Paris stage as actors, stagehands, poilus, and children join together to sing after the announcement of the Armistice.

What It's Really About

Beneath its episodic narrative and lighthearted observational humor, the book explores the cultural encounter between a youthful, optimistic America and a battle-weary, stoic Europe. It serves as an affectionate defense of the American soldier, emphasizing that behind the doughboy’s informal manners and apparent lack of military tradition lies an adaptable, fierce determination.

The work also contrasts the emotional realities of war: the innocence of fresh recruits against the heavy grief of European allies who have endured years of devastating losses. It examines how humor, affection for home, and small daily routines serve as necessary psychological armor against the trauma of modern industrial warfare. Ultimately, it argues that mutual understanding between democratic nations is forged not through formal diplomacy, but through shared sacrifice on the battlefield and quiet acts of everyday comradeship.

Why Read It Today

This book will appeal to readers interested in World War I history, military social history, and early 20th-century cultural commentary. It offers a rare, immediate perspective—written in 1919 immediately following the war's conclusion—capturing the exact language, slang, and mood of the era before time reshaped historical memory.

The narrative feels brisk, warm, and highly visual. Rather than focusing heavily on grand military strategy or graphic violence, it emphasizes human interactions, cultural misunderstandings, and observational comedy.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, including early 1920s racial dialect, theatrical slang, and a distinctly British perspective on American habits. At times, the tone leans heavily into wholesome lightheartedness, which contrasts with the brutal reality of the Western Front. However, its genuine respect for everyday soldiers, vivid depictions of wartime London and Paris, and firsthand warmth make it an engaging and insightful historical artifact.