I try to read most books that I come across about World War I since my Grandfather fought in the war but did not talk about it. I still have his uniform and other items from that time. That being said the author takes an in-depth look at our involvement in the war. We started in April of 1917 but was so far behind training, and having men ready that it was not until 1918 that the troops would arrive in France. Perishing would fight with both English and French leaders the U.S. Force would remain separate. He would at times have the marines in with the Army forces. The author takes you through the different battles. The first to the very last. You get to see how the Marines would use machine guns and then advance, where the Army would just leave the trenches and attack by sheer number of men, with no machine gun cover or artillery. At the beginning Pershing did not think those were vital in any success. He wanted officers to have men leave the trenches and attack over open fields where the Germans already had fields of fire already targeted because they had been there for years. You get to see the politics of the Army that if you argued with Pershing your career as an officer was most likely over, of course your men probably liked you the ones that made it out. The author will show you through maps the different battles and how each one changed the course of the war. He also shows you how Germany may have been able to win Europe before we entered but they stopped an advance because of supplies. All of this led to us coming in and being to actually move the Line that had been still for years but for us to also outflank them. This began the fall inside of the German hierarchy and then surrender. You of course will names like York, Truman who would become President, the story of the lost Battalion which really was not lost just farther ahead of everyone else during an attack in the Argonne Forest. What was sad about that is years after the war Maj. Charles Whittlesey committed suicide because he felt he let his men down by not leaving and fighting, sad. There are many, many more stories like this in this book and the author does a fine job sowing you the good thing said about Pershing, and also the criticism. A lot of Veterans, and families of veterans were not pleased with him and the way he wanted attacks to be done with sheer number of men without any support from artillery, machine guns, or even from the air. When the Germans were using all of these successfully. I will also say the few battles that were led by the Marines, which used machine gun cover fire were more successful as far as less casualties for A.E.F. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I know that it is a history book but I think next year I will read it again.

Wawro has written a wonderful, well-researched, well-explained history, and compelling history, proving once again he has the fantastic ability to examine and describe military history. Sons of Freedom explores an area (WWI and the truly great cost, determination, and role America had in helping to save Europe from itself) that I can personally attest was woefully lacking during my education as a historian. As with many other military history works, the book does get a tad bit confusing between all the battles; I think reading this as a paper copy may make the maps a little easier to read, but that is the only complaint I could have about the book. I have already recommended this book to numerous people, and I will continue to do so in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley and Basic for allowing me to read this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

I was quite happy when starting this book because it was very easy to read and the author clearly expressed the lead up to the United States involvement in World War I. As with any book about the war it became very complicated trying to keep up with all the battles, locations, combatants, and politicians. This book a better read than most but it does have some issues. The common term for American soldiers was Doughboys but the author utilized the rarely used term of Doughs throughout the book. Very annoying. Maps are a critical component of a military history text and just having them is not enough. They must be detailed without being cluttered and useless. Here they could be larger scale and be more numerous with legends. The author does get confused when describing the behaviour of american combat troops. He switches back and forth with high praise and abysmal action when in contact with the enemy.

Haters are gonna hate, you know that right? In this day of a fractured state Geoffrey Wawro shows in Sons of Freedom, that WE ARE GOOD and that WE DID SAVE EUROPE and did it multiple times!

All the marchers, protestors, never trumps and forever trumps need to read this historical account of what we did and what we could become again! Bravo Mr. Wawro, you give us truth hidden and truth that cannot be denied!

You history lovers will fall in love with WW1 all over again