world-war-i

Sergeant Marshall/Department of Defense, NARA // Public Domain

Potential recruits had to answer questions like ‘Is genuine happiness a priceless treasure?,’ ‘Are avenues usually paved with oxygen?,’ and ‘Do you cordially recommend forgery?’

He wants you to learn about the symbol’s history.

Uncle Sam is an easily recognizable piece of wartime propaganda. And legend says he was based off a real person—though that may not actually be the case.

World War I brought aircraft carriers into the action.

The Great War was a time of terrible tragedy, but also led to some inventions that had a lasting impact on society.

Seven years of bad luck would seem like a walk in the park to these people.

Grab your lucky rabbit’s foot and read up on the tales of some of the unluckiest people in history, from the man whose backyard became a battlefield (twice!) to an absurdly accident-prone instrument inventor and beyond.

"Doughnut lassies" did a lot to boost morale on the front lines.

While enjoying a free doughnut on National Doughnut Day, remember the women who introduced the treat to soldiers during World War I.

French gunners during World War I, circa 1914.

We're shedding light on some common misconceptions about World War I, including who was actually involved and when the fighting officially ended.

September 16, 1913: In 1912 and 1913, a series of crises centered on Albania repeatedly brought Europe to the edge of war.

Celebrate National Peanut Butter Day with a World War I-era recipe for peanut loaf or peanut butter soup.

An illustration of members of the Molly Maguires, a secret society that planned assassinations and destructions of property for higher wages.

Some of history's most infamous secret societies have planned revolutions and assassinations—others, are happy enough just to hang around college campuses.

The National Archives is calling upon citizens to make World War I photographs searchable online.

The National Archives needs citizens to help make its collection of WWI photographs and historical documents searchable.

A pasta vendor in Naples during the late 19th or early 20th century.

Futurist leaders considered pasta an “absurd Italian gastronomic religion” that went against the grain of fascism (literally).

Thanksgiving Day menu from November 1917 at Fort D. A. Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Thanksgiving may look different in 2020, but history provides some surprising insights on how to approach the menu, traditions, and celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Woodrow Wilson photographed in good health.

Woodrow Wilson never publicly acknowledged the 1918 influenza pandemic—not even after he caught the virus himself.

Navy planes creating smoke screens during the 1920s.

World War I generated lots of new technology, including smoke screens that looked as large and solid as the Wall from ‘Game of Thrones.’

Victory gardens were originally a way to supplement food supplies during World Wars I and II. Now, Americans are bringing them back in response to COVID-19 concerns.

Benedict Cumberbatch in Sam Mendes's 1917 (2019).

It makes sense that master filmmakers keep returning to old wars to tell new stories, as war movies have all the elements needed for a compelling tale. From medieval epics to modern thrillers, here are 25 of the best of them.

New York State Military Museum // Public Domain

In May 1918, Henry Johnson found himself alone in a French forest with a wounded ally, an empty rifle, and dozens of German soldiers closing in. He didn't run. He fought.

An artist and sculptor, Anna Coleman Ladd offered her talents to soldiers who had been badly disfigured fighting in World War I. Her masks helped restore their appearance and their self-confidence.