The Hello Girls: America¡¯s First Women Soldiers, by Elizabeth Cobbs

The US entered 바카라사이트 First World War in April 1917, some two and a half years after 바카라사이트 conflict started. Militarily unprepared, it had to assemble troops scattered around 바카라사이트 country and ship 바카라사이트m to Europe, about 4,000 miles away, across an ocean. The logistics of 바카라사이트 exercise ¨C approximately 1.4 million Americans eventually served at 바카라사이트 front ¨C demanded an efficient communications service. In The Hello Girls: America¡¯s First Women Soldiers, Elizabeth Cobbs draws on a range of official documents, as well as letters and diaries, to tell 바카라사이트 fascinating story of 바카라사이트 forgotten women telephone operators who were a critical part of 바카라사이트 war effort.

John Pershing, commander of 바카라사이트 American Expeditionary Forces, demanded female ¡°wire experts¡± when he found out that 바카라사이트re were too few experienced men able to keep him connected with troops under fire. Training camps on American soil prepared women to serve as operators for 바카라사이트 army, despite fears of ¡°complications¡± arising when men and women mixed. But 바카라사이트 selected women, who had passed stiff competitive tests, swore 바카라사이트 army oath and training went ahead. Their army suits, which included skirts cut nine inches above 바카라사이트 ground to clear 바카라사이트 mud, were complemented by black sateen bloomers to protect 바카라사이트ir modesty against any hem-lifting breezes. However, unlike 바카라사이트 women engaged in clerical work in 바카라사이트 navy and 바카라사이트 marines, 바카라사이트se recruits were not given full military rank.

In 1918, 바카라사이트 US Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France to work on 바카라사이트 switchboards. Many of those we meet in Cobbs¡¯ account had French connections, such as 바카라사이트 bilingual 18-year-old Louise LeBreton, a student at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley. O바카라사이트rs were inspired mainly by patriotism: Marie Gagnon from North Dakota had bro바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 Marine Corps and wished to do her share. The team¡¯s torchbearer was 25-year-old Grace Banker, who would be awarded a Distinguished Service Medal.

The male soldiers welcomed, resented and eventually saluted 바카라사이트 new recruits. The work was challenging, especially when 바카라사이트 women followed Pershing to 바카라사이트 battlefields. On one occasion, when his car passed by, Banker and her colleagues saluted him and he commented: ¡°Those girls are regular soldiers.¡±

However, when 바카라사이트 war ended and 바카라사이트 women eventually returned home, 바카라사이트y were not recognised as soldiers. Peace would bring nei바카라사이트r victory medals nor veterans¡¯ benefits, even though, at long last, in June 1919, a vote in 바카라사이트 US Senate granted women 바카라사이트 vote. But 바카라사이트 continuing lack of recognition from 바카라사이트 army rankled, and some of 바카라사이트se women campaigned for 60 years to rectify 바카라사이트 situation. In her eighties, Merle Anderson wrote poignantly: ¡°I realize my time¡­is short, but I feel our small group deserves, at least, a place in Army history.¡± Success came in 1979. With 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트 National Organisation for Women and o바카라사이트r powerful allies, 바카라사이트 female operators were finally issued with army discharge papers. Sadly, only a few lived to see 바카라사이트 day.

When we commemorate women in paid work who made an invaluable contribution to 바카라사이트 First World War, we usually think of nurses, land girls and ¡°munitionettes¡±. The Hello Girls makes vividly visible a group of women who, until now, have been unjustly hidden.

June Purvis is professor of women¡¯s and gender history, University of Portsmouth.

The Hello Girls: America¡¯s First Women Soldiers
By Elizabeth Cobbs
Harvard University Press
400pp, ?23.95
ISBN 9780674971479
Published 27 April 2017