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World War I Letter Describing Armistice Day
(From: Drew Family, Papers 1856-1999, Collection M82-8)
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More than 42,000 Floridians served in the military during the First World War,
which was fought from April 1917 until November 1918. Included in this number
were Herbert and George Frank Drew, grandsons of former Florida Governor George
F. Drew. Both saw combat service as officers in the American Expeditionary Force--Herbert
in the Fifth Field Artillery of the First Infantry Division and Frank in the
327th Infantry of the Eighty-second Infantry Division. During the time they
spent overseas, Herbert and Frank wrote to and received letters from their family
in Live Oak. On November 12, 1918, the day after the armistice was signed ending
the fighting, their father, Frank Drew wrote long, emotional letters to each
of his sons. He described his feelings on the end of the war, criticized the
wartime policies of President Woodrow Wilson, and discussed plans for the future.
The letter reproduced here was written to his son Frank. In a similar letter
to Herbert he stated" "Everything has been in a delirium of joy over here."
A text version
of the letter is included below the graphic image.
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World War I Letter Describing Armistice Day
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Live Oak, Florida, Nov. 12th., 1918
Dear Frank:-
I wanted to write to you and Herbert yesterday-on the very
day of Victory (the day which, as Ralp has remarked would be the great
day for the whole world of the future); but somehow the heart was too
full. The fear of death that I have carried there for you boys for all
these months was somewhat relieved; though I shall not draw a long breath
of entire relief until I can get a message from you. The War Department
has been so far behind with its advices that it has taken away much of
the comfort in the addage the "no news if good news." It seems almost
too good to be true that this horror is over for the world. The celebrations
in this country have been like a tornado; but I know that over there in
Paris and London it has been something beyond de- scription. The terms
of armistice are highly satisfactory to everyone here; because no one
can think of anything any more drastic to suggest. My, but how good they
are! And how they have repudicated the maudling sentimentality that the
President was hatching up. The country has settled with him good and hard;
and the Democratic party is as dead to- day as the militarists in Germany.
The papers forecast red revolution in Germany; though long before this
reaches you the extent of it will be known. I have a memorandum made some
weeks ago anent [sic] the different race types in Germany; and I am going
to send it to you in bearing upon the "boche". It shows a distinction
that the President has not apparent- ly grasped as the peoples over there
have. The revolution in Germany should run its course far enough to demonstrate
that his theories of certain things are erroneous enough to prove a lesson
for this country.
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