That's War

Name: Thats War
Price: $47.95 NZD
Author: William Arthur Sirmon
ISBN: 9781462880997

by William Arthur Sirmon

Formats

Hardcover

$47.95

Softcover

$31.95

Hardcover

$47.95

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 27/06/2011

Format : Hardcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 167

ISBN : 9781462880997

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 167

ISBN : 9781462880980

About the Book

That’s War is a diary of the authentic experiences of Lt. William Arthur Sirmon from January 1, 1918 to November 12, 1918. In this WWI account of a regular soldier in the 82nd Division, 325th Infantry, you are led through ten chapters of a heartfelt, attention-grabbing journey. It starts out at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, where Sirmon was in charge of training soldiers. His story takes you across the beautiful, yet run down, terrain of France. William Arthur Sirmon spent more than four years prior to 1917 as an officer of the Philippine Constabulary, serving primarily in Mindanao, the “Island of Blood”. He was the most highly decorated soldier from Georgia, and it is believed, of the entire Great War. In February of 1919, only he and Sergeant Alvin York were awarded The Legion of Honor of France, Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre with Palm by General Pershing. These accolades made him an honorary citizen of England and France. This diary is not completely blood and guts, but surprisingly light for the most part. It describes the day-to-day life of typical American doughboys and the obstacles they faced through the entire war. That’s War is a great read filled with excitement and humor, with education and entertainment throughout..

About the Author

Brannon Hubert William Sirmon was born in a relatively small town of Oak Mountain, Alabama. His father instilled in him at a young age a passion for poetry and writing stories. After attending college at the University of Alabama he was still unfulfilled and longed for something more. It wasn’t until the age of 22 when he and a friend worked on a screenplay did he finally realize he wanted to be a writer. A blessing put his great-grandfather’s diary of WWI in his hands, which he intends to make it a movie one day. Brannon currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama where he continues to work and write.

Customer Reviews

"?That?s War? is a great little slice of history, and a necessary antidote to an unfortunate tendency in war fiction whereby the dead are killed yet again by writers who stamp out their characters? spirits?erasing a bit more of their lives?in a well-meaning effort to laud their heroics.

The more distant we are from a war, the easier it is to place its participants on pedestals. But when writers do this, they turn their subjects to stone statues, devoid of personality, fit to be emulated, but unable to be interacted with, or understood. It?s a Medusa-like trait. Not only does it turn the subject into something not quite human, it speaks to a certain ugliness in the writer; often such writers seek a little vicarious glory in the writing, but the act is usually a distraction from their own foibles and personal weaknesses.

""That?s War"" goes in the opposite direction, presenting the unfiltered diaries of Mr. Sirman?s great-grandfather, a doughboy in World War I. From the first lines?a New Year?s Day observation that he hasn?t made any resolutions?it?s clear that he?s an engaging diarist, relatable and funny and (as far as we can tell) honest. And most importantly, human?he works hard and sounds eager to go to war, but he also parties, drinks, cavorts with women, and doesn?t want to get out of bed in the morning.

This book charts the bulk of 1918, during which America?s armies lumbered into action, training and organizing and exercising themselves into shape so as to grapple with Europe?s best. Many political and strategic issues were at stake. European commanders, stunned by the ferocity of a war unlike any they?d seen, seemed hesitant to use the Americans as anything other than cannon fodder; they sought to break up American units and put them under European command at a relatively low level, where they?d possibly end up being additional meat for a meatgrinder that had already been operating be

Jerry Brennan
"?That?s War? is a great little slice of history, and a necessary antidote to an unfortunate tendency in war fiction whereby the dead are killed yet again by writers who stamp out their characters? spirits?erasing a bit more of their lives?in a well-meaning effort to laud their heroics.

The more distant we are from a war, the easier it is to place its participants on pedestals. But when writers do this, they turn their subjects to stone statues, devoid of personality, fit to be emulated, but unable to be interacted with, or understood. It?s a Medusa-like trait. Not only does it turn the subject into something not quite human, it speaks to a certain ugliness in the writer; often such writers seek a little vicarious glory in the writing, but the act is usually a distraction from their own foibles and personal weaknesses.

""That?s War"" goes in the opposite direction, presenting the unfiltered diaries of Mr. Sirman?s great-grandfather, a doughboy in World War I. From the first lines?a New Year?s Day observation that he hasn?t made any resolutions?it?s clear that he?s an engaging diarist, relatable and funny and (as far as we can tell) honest. And most importantly, human?he works hard and sounds eager to go to war, but he also parties, drinks, cavorts with women, and doesn?t want to get out of bed in the morning.

This book charts the bulk of 1918, during which America?s armies lumbered into action, training and organizing and exercising themselves into shape so as to grapple with Europe?s best. Many political and strategic issues were at stake. European commanders, stunned by the ferocity of a war unlike any they?d seen, seemed hesitant to use the Americans as anything other than cannon fodder; they sought to break up American units and put them under European command at a relatively low level, where they?d possibly end up being additional meat for a meatgrinder that had already been operating be

Jerry Brennan

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That's War

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