The Great War Comes to Wisconsin: Sacrifice, Patriotism, and Free Speech in a Time of Crisis

by Richard L. Pifer

Overview

The Great War Comes to Wisconsin examines Wisconsin’s response to World War I, the first "total war" of the twentieth century, a war so large that it engaged virtually everyone.
Instead of a comprehensive history of the battlefield, this book captures the homefront experience: the political debates over war policy, the worry over loved ones fighting overseas, the countless everyday sacrifices, and the impact of a wartime hysteria that drove dissent underground. It also includes the voices of soldiers from Wisconsin’s famed 32nd Division, through extensively quoted letters and newspaper accounts. Immerse yourself in the Wisconsin experience during World War I—a conflict that demonstrated America’s great capacity for sacrifice and generosity, but also for prejudice, intolerance, and injustice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780870207839
Publisher:	Wisconsin Historical Society
Publication date:	10/10/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	286
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Richard L. Pifer retired in 2015 from his position as Director of Reference and Public Services for the Library-Archives Division of the Wisconsin Historical Society. He received a PhD in American history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His historical research has focused on the history of the home front in Wisconsin during the First and Second World Wars. His MA thesis studied La Crosse during the two world wars as a vehicle through which to better understand the American response to war.  Dr. Pifer is also the author of A City at War: Milwaukee Labor During World War II.

Table of Contents

Contents Introduction 1. Wisconsin in 1914 2. War Comes to Wisconsin 3. The 32nd Division, “Les Terribles” 4. Life on the Home Front 5. Politics on the Home Front Reflections Notes Acknowledgments Index About the Authors