Boy Soldiers of the Great War


Book Description

After the outbreak of the Great War, boys as young as twelve were caught up in a national wave of patriotism and, in huge numbers, volunteered to serve their country. The press, recruiting offices and the Government all contributed to the enlistment of hundreds of thousands of under-age soldiers in both Britain and the Empire. On joining up, these lads falsified their ages, often aided by parents who believed their sons’ obvious youth would make overseas service unlikely. These boys frequently enlisted together, training for a year or more in the same battalions before they were sent abroad. Others joined up but were soon sent to units already fighting overseas and short of men: these lads might undergo as little as eight weeks’ training. Boys served in the bloodiest battles of the war, fighting at Ypres, the Somme and on Gallipoli. Many broke down under the strain and were returned home once parents supplied birth certificates proving their youth. Other lads fought on bravely and were even awarded medals for gallantry: Jack Pouchot won the Distinguished Conduct Medal aged just fifteen. Others became highly efficient officers, such as Acting Captain Philip Lister and Second Lieutenant Reginald Battersby, both of whom were commissioned at fifteen and fought in France. In this, the final update of his ground-breaking book, Richard van Emden reveals new hitherto unknown stories and adds many more unseen images. He also proves that far more boys enlisted in the British Army under-age than originally estimated, providing compelling evidence that as many as 400,000 served.




Our Boys


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The War Against Boys


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An updated and revised edition of the controversial classic—now more relevant than ever—argues that boys are the ones languishing socially and academically, resulting in staggering social and economic costs. Girls and women were once second-class citizens in the nation’s schools. Americans responded with concerted efforts to give girls and women the attention and assistance that was long overdue. Now, after two major waves of feminism and decades of policy reform, women have made massive strides in education. Today they outperform men in nearly every measure of social, academic, and vocational well-being. Christina Hoff Sommers contends that it’s time to take a hard look at present-day realities and recognize that boys need help. Called “provocative and controversial...impassioned and articulate” (The Christian Science Monitor), this edition of The War Against Boys offers a new preface and six radically revised chapters, plus updates on the current status of boys throughout the book. Sommers argues that the problem of male underachievement is persistent and worsening. Among the new topics Sommers tackles: how the war against boys is harming our economic future, and how boy-averse trends such as the decline of recess and zero-tolerance disciplinary policies have turned our schools into hostile environments for boys. As our schools become more feelings-centered, risk-averse, competition-free, and sedentary, they move further and further from the characteristic needs of boys. She offers realistic, achievable solutions to these problems that include boy-friendly pedagogy, character and vocational education, and the choice of single-sex classrooms. The War Against Boys is an incisive, rigorous, and heartfelt argument in favor of recognizing and confronting a new reality: boys are languishing in education and the price of continued neglect is economically and socially prohibitive.




Our Boys


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A Boy at War


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They rowed hard, away from the battleships and the bombs. Water sprayed over them. The rowboat pitched one way and then the other. Then, before his eyes, the Arizona lifted up out of the water. That enormous battleship bounced up in the air like a rubber ball and split apart. Fire burst out of the ship. A geyser of water shot into the air and came crashing down. Adam was almost thrown out of the rowboat. He clung to the seat as it swung around. He saw blue skies and the glittering city. The boat swung back again, and he saw black clouds, and the Arizona, his father's ship, sinking beneath the water. -- from A Boy at War "He kept looking up, afraid the planes would come back. The sky was obscured by black smoke....It was all unreal: the battleships half sunk, the bullet holes in the boat, Davi and Martin in the water." December 7, 1941: On a quiet Sunday morning, while Adam and his friends are fishing near Honolulu, a surprise attack by Japanese bombers destroys the fleet at Pearl Harbor. Even as Adam struggles to survive the sudden chaos all around him, and as his friends endure the brunt of the attack, a greater concern hangs over his head: Adam's father, a navy lieutenant, was stationed on the USS Arizona when the bombs fell. During the subsequent days Adam -- not yet a man, but no longer a boy -- is caught up in the war as he desperately tries to make sense of what happened to his friends and to find news of his father. Harry Mazer, whose autobiographical novel, The Last Mission, brought the European side of World War II to vivid life, now turns to the Pacific theater and how the impact of war can alter young lives forever.




America in the Great War


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Contains excerpts from 3 key legislative acts.




Great Battles for Boys


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Does your son avoid reading, but spends hours playing videogames?Are you worried about his reading abilities, now and in the future? What if you could give him all the excitement of screen time while also sparking his love of reading and history? Now you can, with Great Battles for Boys--written especially for reluctant readers. These exciting tales take boys to the front lines of history's most important military conflicts. Filled with historic photographs, maps, and biographies of soldiers who accomplished extraordinary feats against all odds, Great Battles for Boys gets boys hooked on reading. In his highly acclaimed middle-school class "Great Battles for Boys," author Joe Giorello has ignited a love of military history in hundreds of boys. Now with this engaging non-fiction series written specifically for boys ages 8-14, your son can experience that same thrilling adventure in learning. Reading is essential! Many education experts believe that boys' education failures later--such as struggling to get into college, or complete university--arises from poor reading and literacy skills that didn't get developed in elementary and middle school. But you can change that for your son or grandson. Give him books he wants to read! In this installment of the bestselling history series, young readers learn about World War I's major battles along with the modern inventions such as airplanes and tanks that were part of "The Great War"--nicknamed not because the conflict was good, but because its losses were so devastating. Among the dozen battles covered are: Tannenberg: outnumbered German soldiers pull a sneak attack and destroy Russian forces, capturing 150,000 prisoners of war. Somme: Among military history's worst follies, this battle ended with more than one million casualties--and yet achieved almost nothing for either the Allies or the Central Powers. Cantigny: A little-known battle that proved late-arriving and novice American forces came to the Western Front to win this long-suffering war. Other chapters cover WWI's most fascinating figures, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Sergeant York, and the Harlem Hellfighters. Boys also gain an understanding of the world events shaped by this monumental conflict, including the Russian Revolution of 1917. Filled with historic photographs, maps, and notable biographies of ordinary soldiers who accomplished extraordinary feats against all odds, Great Battles for Boys: WWI explains the weapons, tactics, and strategies that helped the Allies topple the Central Powers. Each chapter also concludes with suggestions for further age-appropriate books, internet sites, and movies that the whole family can watch together. If your son likes action-packed accounts, authentic details, and short chapters, he will love this book. Pick up Great Battles for Boys today--and march to the front lines of history! PRAISE FOR THE GREAT BATTLES FOR BOYS SERIES: "This book should be in school libraries everywhere. It is a treasure trove of information that is engagingly written that makes one feel they are in a great classroom with a great instructor sharing his knowledge in a fun way." --Hall of Fame Amazon Reviewer




Only a Dog


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Our Boys and Girls


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The Button War


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Newbery Medalist Avi delivers a stark, unflinching account of the boys of a tiny Polish village during the Great War who are determined to prove themselves with a simple dare that spins disastrously out of control.