I should feel embarrassed, moreover, at signing my name to this book were any reader of it to believe that it was in any large sense whatsoever a "one man" production. The size of the field to be covered, the brief space of time allotted in which to make some sort of a comprehensive picture of a really huge endeavor, made it necessary for the author to call for help in all directions. The answers to that call were immediate and generous. It hardly would be possible within a single chapter of this volume to make a complete list of the men and women who helped in its preparation. But the author does desire to state his profound sense of indebtedness to Mrs. Caroline Singer Mondell, Mrs. Kathleen Hills, Miss E. Buckner Kirk, Major Daniel T. Pierce, Captain George Buchanan Fife and Lieutenant William D. Hines. These have borne with him patiently and have been of much real assistance. His appreciation is great. This picture of an American effort tells its own story. I have no intention at this time or place to attempt to elaborate it; but merely wish in passing to record my personal and sincere opinion that, in the workings of our Red Cross overseas, there seemed to me to be such an outpouring of affection, of patriotism, of a sincere desire to serve as I have never before seen. It was indeed a triumph for our teachings and our ideals. E. H. New York--January, 1920. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE AMERICA AWAKENS 1 CHAPTER II OUR RED CROSS GOES TO WAR 6 CHAPTER III ORGANIZING FOR WORK 13 CHAPTER IV THE PROBLEM OF TRANSPORT 39 CHAPTER V THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AS A DEPARTMENT STORE 80 CHAPTER VI THE DOUGHBOY MOVES TOWARD THE FRONT 100 CHAPTER VII THE RED CROSS ON THE FIELD OF HONOR 128 CHAPTER VIII OUR RED CROSS PERFORMS ITS SUPREME MISSION 182 CHAPTER IX THE RED CROSS IN THE HOSPITALS OF THE A. E. F. 208 CHAPTER X "PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES IN YOUR OLD KIT BAG" 238 CHAPTER XI WHEN JOHNNY CAME MARCHING HOME 259 CHAPTER XII THE GIRL WHO WENT TO WAR 278 ILLUSTRATIONS SUPPER HOUR AT BORDEAUX _Frontispiece_ No matter what hour; always the gobs and buddies--other armies as well as our own--ready with 100 per cent appetites. FACING PAGE SO THIS IS PARIS 20 A. E. F. Boys, guests of our A. R. C. in its great hospital at St. Cloud, look down about the "Queen City of the World." CHOW 62 The rolling kitchens, builded on trailers to motor trucks, brought hot drinks and food right up to the men in action.