It's difficult to overestimate the importance of America's farms to the Allies in Europe. While the fields of France were covered with trenches, America's prairie lands were producing grain in huge quantities. This was the era when the Great Plains was being plowed as never before, and because the weather was favorable the farms looked like they

It's difficult to overestimate the importance of America's farms to the Allies in Europe. While the fields of France were covered with trenches, America's prairie lands were producing grain in huge quantities. This was the era when the Great Plains was being plowed as never before, and because the weather was favorable the farms looked like they couldn't fail. After the war, the government would encourage more plowing, the banks would encourage more borrowing, and the climate would re-assert itself, eventually leading to the tragedy of the Dust Bowl. This song comes from an earlier era, when the Grange movement was uniting farmers against the monopoly of the railroads and suppliers in the East. It is very appropriate for the contribution of the farms in the Great War.

The chorus is well-known, and for good reason. I actually do not much care for the lyric to this song, except in its ability to show the absolute callousness of arm-chair warriors. There is something about the gung-ho attitude of good old Private Perks that tends to curdle the blood. The chorus is quintessential World War I, though, and was sung

The chorus is well-known, and for good reason. I actually do not much care for the lyric to this song, except in its ability to show the absolute callousness of arm-chair warriors. There is something about the gung-ho attitude of good old Private Perks that tends to curdle the blood. The chorus is quintessential World War I, though, and was sung by the troops, I'm sure with plenty of irony.

Irving Berlin is, perhaps, the greatest of great American songwriters in his longevity, diversity and popularity. A Jewish boy from the lower East Side, he wrote "Easter Parade," "White Christmas," and "God Bless America." This song was written for a review called "Yip, Yip, Yaphank," while Berlin was a soldier in training in Yaphank, New York. It

Irving Berlin is, perhaps, the greatest of great American songwriters in his longevity, diversity and popularity. A Jewish boy from the lower East Side, he wrote "Easter Parade," "White Christmas," and "God Bless America." This song was written for a review called "Yip, Yip, Yaphank," while Berlin was a soldier in training in Yaphank, New York. It was very popular during the Second World War as well.

In the years leading up to 1917, America was strongly isolationist. We wanted no part of the European conflagration, and Woodrow Wilson was elected to a second term in 1916 on a platform of: "He kept us out of war." At the same time, women in America were agitating for the right to vote, and didn't want the country distracted from their cause.

In the years leading up to 1917, America was strongly isolationist. We wanted no part of the European conflagration, and Woodrow Wilson was elected to a second term in 1916 on a platform of: "He kept us out of war." At the same time, women in America were agitating for the right to vote, and didn't want the country distracted from their cause. Women demonstrated in front of the White House all during our involvement in the Great War, and lost a lot of support for doing so. Written by two men, this song has become a women's and a peace anthem still popular today.

No song that I know expresses the bitterness of troops who were ordered "over the top," only to die by the millions, better than this one. Only those who had experience of the front could have written it. I first heard this song in the film "Oh, What a Lovely War," which used the soldiers' songs to tell the story of the conflict, to devastating

No song that I know expresses the bitterness of troops who were ordered "over the top," only to die by the millions, better than this one. Only those who had experience of the front could have written it. I first heard this song in the film "Oh, What a Lovely War," which used the soldiers' songs to tell the story of the conflict, to devastating effect.