Education Resources
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List of Mothers and Widows of American Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Entitled to Make a Pilgrimage to the War Cemeteries in EuropePilgrimage for the mothers and widows of soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forcesCreator: Villanova UniversityA full digitization (364 images) of the 1929 Pilgrimage for the Mothers and Widows of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the American Forces, an index of Gold Star Mothers and Wives entitled to travel to the war cemeteries in Europe to visit the graves of their loved ones. The book includes names and home cities of the family members, as well as the names, ranks, service information and cemetery location of the fallen soldiers.View Online |
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The Great War and PeaceAn Introduction to Peace-Oriented Remembrance of WWI in Flanders FieldsCreator: Flemish Peace Institute"The peace-oriented tradition in the commemoration of the First World War has a long and complex history. During the inter-war period in Belgium, as in France, it was both veteran organisations and political movements which gave an important impetus to the origin of peace-oriented remembrance rituals and memorials." This essay from Maarten Van Alstein of the Flemish Peace Institute looks at how the First World War led to pacifist movements of war commemoration.Download PDF |
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10 Incredible Photos Of The Imperial Camel CorpsCreator: Imperial War MuseumsFirst raised in 1916, the Imperial Camel Corps was a camel-mounted infantry force operating in the Middle Eastern and African deserts. The Corps played an integral role in several First World War desert campaigns, including Palestine and Sinai. This resource includes 10 primary source photos.Read Online |
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They Winged Their Way Through Skies of SteelFrom The American Legion Weekly - August 29, 1919Creator: American LegionThis article published in 1919 in the American Legion Weekly describes the actions of carrier pigeons during the War, including the heroic flights of pigeons Cher Ami, Big Tom, President Wilson, and more.Download PDF |
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Jackie the BaboonCreator: South African Military Veterans Organisation of AustralasiaThe 3rd South African Infantry Brigade had a unique mascot, Jackie the Baboon. Jackie not only boosted morale among the soldiers, he also wore a uniform, marched, drew rations and warned his companions of enemy attacks. Learn more about Jackie in this short article from the South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australasia (SAMVOA).Read Online |
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Weird and Wonderful CreaturesWW1 UncutCreator: BBCHow were glow worms used during World War I? This six-minute YouTube video from the BBC show WW1 Uncut answers this question and describes the unexpected service of unique animals including slugs, sea lions, and elephants.Watch Online |
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StubbyThe Price of Freedom: Americans at WarCreator: Smithsonian National Museum of American HistoryThis resource from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History tells the story of Sergeant Stubby, the dog mascot of the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. Veteran of 17 battles, Stubby was injured by shrapnel and mustard gas during his time in the war. He warned his fellow soldiers of gas attacks, located wounded soldiers, and even helped catch an enemy spy. Stubby died in 1926. His final resting place is the National Museum of American History.View Online |
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Top Tips For Managing Your Carrier PigeonsCreator: Imperial War MuseumsDelivering messages during World War I was not an easy task. Communication lines were often damaged by artillery fire, so soldiers often relied on carrier pigeons to deliver messages. These eleven tips came from the March 1918 British manual Carrier Pigeons in War, instructing soldiers in the proper care and training of pigeons.Read Online |
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The Animals That Helped Win World War ICreator: Smithsonian TTribuneThis article by Jennifer Nalewicki for Smithsonian's collection of online educational services, TTribune, gives an overview of the use of animals in war. It also tells the stories of famous animals of WWI, including Whiskey and Soda, the lion cub mascots of the Lafayette Escadrille, and most notably Rags, a Parisian street dog who became messenger and mascot to the First Division of the American Expeditionary Forces. A post-reading quiz is also available for teachers to use with their students (free website registration required to access.)Read Online |
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M is for MatesAnimals in Wartime from Ajax to ZepCreator: Australian War MemorialMany countries drafted animals into service, including Australia. While many of their animals were the same as those used by other countries, some were distinctly Australian. It was not uncommon to find kangaroo or koala bear mascots with Australian troops in the war. The Australian War Memorial created this eBook for younger students to learn more about Australian animals at war from the Boer War to the present day.Download PDF (43 Mb) |
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World War One: The Circus Animals That Helped BritainCreator: BBC NewsWith millions of horses needed for the war effort, people on the home front had the difficult task of finding replacements to assist with heavy labor. This 2013 article by Nick Tarver from BBC News explores how exotic animals, such as elephants, were put to work in Great Britain during the war.Read Online |
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The True Story of the Real-Life Winnie-the-PoohHistory in the HeadlinesCreator: HISTORY®The Winnie the Pooh stories of A.A. Milne have delighted children for decades, but most people don't know that the "willy nilly silly old bear" was inspired by an actual bear. Winnipeg, nicknamed Winnie, was a bear cub mascot with a Canadian unit during World War I who went on to inspire the Winnie the Pooh stories. Learn more about the life of Winnie by reading this article by Christopher Klein on HISTORY.com.Read Online |
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Companions In The TrenchesAnimals of World War 1Creator: The Great War YouTube ChannelHorses, dogs and pigeons were some of the animals used most frequently by both sides during the War. In this video from The Great War Channel, host Indy Neidell describes in detail how these animals served during World War I. Also included in this 7 1/2 minute video is information about Cher Ami, the pigeon credited with saving 194 soldiers after delivering a message while wounded.Watch Online |
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15 Animals That Went to WarCreator: Imperial War MuseumsMany animals served as mascots to boast morale, but others were put to work. Dogs helped lay telephone wires, camels carried the wounded, and horses wore gas masks while doing their job. This collection of photographs from the Imperial War Museums' collection depicts these animals and more and their contribution to the war effort. This resource also includes a short article by Jessica Talarico.Read Online |
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The Soldier to His Own FiresideStereogram Image SetCreator: Villanova UniversityCreated as part of a U.S. propaganda effort to show the glorious and adventure-filled — but ultimately safe — story of a young everyman in American service. This digitized collection of 25 illustrated stereogram cards is available through the Digital Library@Villanova University.View Images , Read Article |
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about this project
The United States World War One Centennial Commission and the National World War I Museum and Memorial are dedicated to educating the public about the causes, events and consequences of the conflict and we encourage the use of these resources to better understand the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.
Assisting in this endeavor are:
