The Stars and Stripes was the official newspaper of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during the First World War, written and edited by soldiers for soldiers. The inaugural issue of February 8, 1918 launched a publication that would run for more than a year, providing news, humor, sports coverage, and commentary to American troops serving on the Western Front during the climactic phase of the war.
As a primary source, this first issue offers an immediate window into the world of American soldiers in France — their concerns, humor, and sense of identity — at a moment when the United States was throwing its full weight into the European conflict. Download this free EPUB for a genuine artifact of American military history.