There have been few books written in English about the French Army
during the Great War. Those that have are scarcely illustrated. This
book aims to provide a highly readable and succinct account of the work
of the French Army on the Western Front, as well as provide the reader
with a wealth of photographs that show the daily life of the French
soldier both in and out of the trenches. All of the images are
contemporary, many coming from wartime and postwar magazines,
interspersed with many previously unpublished images.
The book aims to give a concise overview of the war seen through French
eyes and includes the casualties incurred. Although the May 1917
mutinies were an important but brief part of the story, they are not
dealt with at any length because they can distract from the main story
of the valor shown by the French troops in battles were the casualties
were extremely high. Also included is a lengthy introduction which
explains the structure of the army at the onset of the war and some of
the problems it faced, and a section that looks at the uniforms worn and
how they changed during the war.