The army behind the army

A vivid snapshot of the American war effort, this work lifts the curtain on the countless specialists whose labor kept the front‑line troops moving, communicating, and protected. From the engineers laying telephone lines beneath mud‑caked trenches to the chemists perfecting gas masks, the narrative weaves together firsthand observations, technical sketches, and the day‑to‑day challenges faced by the signal corps, engineers, and medical units.

The author draws on extensive cooperation with senior officers, delivering clear explanations of everything from balloon observation and tank logistics to the production of spruce charcoal for respirators. Readers get an accessible sense of how these behind‑the‑scenes operations shaped battles in France, Flanders, and beyond, revealing the ingenuity and coordination that defined a generation’s hidden battlefield.