World War I has come down to us in indelible images--those of airplane
bombers, bleak-eyed soldiers, stern-faced commanders, and the ruins of
countless villages. But soldiers themselves also took photographs on the
battlefield, and many of their striking images were transformed into
postcards that were sent home to family and friends or collected as war
mementos. Postcards from the Trenches gathers a number of these
postcards to create a striking visual history of World War I.
The cards in this compelling volume were created not only by soldiers,
but also by embedded journalists from France, Belgium, Austria, Germany,
and Britain. The images capture scenes both humorous and poignant,
including soldiers having a mock party with little food to eat, wounded
soldiers smiling for the camera, a makeshift trench hospital, the bloody
aftermath of a battle, and a huddle of men taking what they know could
be their last communion before marching onto the battlefield. Other
cards document the mundane duties that dominated wartime life, including
men digging trenches, troops marching to new trenches and battlefields,
and or soldiers nearly comatose with boredom while waiting for the fight
to begin. This stunning visual narrative opens a new window into one of
the most analyzed events in history, as the postcards' images testify to
the resilience and bravery of soldiers in the most trying
circumstances.
A fascinating and unprecedented historical document, Postcards from the
Trenches draws back the curtain to unflinchingly show the daily horror
and humanity that define life in war.
