Thanks for the Saturday entries for THE SCOURGE! The winner is: LANYA!
Also, I know I missed Sunday’s post. That’s how life goes sometimes. Now, for LINES OF COURAGE!
I’ll be talking a lot about this book over the next few months.
LINES OF COURAGE will be released on March 1, 2022. It tells the story of World War One from the perspectives of five kids from five countries over the five years of the war.
I think World War One is fascinating, but it is a far lesser-known war than the Second World War.
A couple of facts I think are really interesting include this:
This is called a camouflage ship. Normally if you think of a camouflage ship, you’d think of one that fades into the background so it’s hard to see. This is the very opposite. All it needs are blinking lights to say ARE YOU NOTICING ME?
But the strange patterns and shapes confused the enemy torpedo operators, who weren’t entirely sure where to aim. These camouflage ships may have saved the lives of thousands of soldiers in the British Navy.
Also, World War 1 produced the single largest battle in world history, in Verdun, France. The battle lasted almost a full year and was so destructive that after the war, the area was declared a Red Zone, a place not safe for humans. We have been cleaning it up over the last hundred years but the area still is a Red Zone. At our current rate of clean-up, the estimation is that the Red Zone will not be entirely safe for another 300 years!
Now, to enter to win an ARC of this book, down in comments, can you leave me a favorite fact you know about World War One?
To preorder a copy (and I would love it if you did preorder!), links are here:
76 Comments
I am so excited for this book because I am learning about World War I in school right now and it is very interesting! My favorite fact I know about World War I is that flamethrowers were first used by the Germans against the French in the Battle of Verdun!
My favorite fact is that World War one began because the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian who wanted a unified Slavic state. At the time, some Slavic states were ruled by Austria-Hungary and the assassin wanted them to be freed.
One of my favorite facts of WW1 is that a large part of the war included the use of Dreadnoughts. Dreadnoughts are large battleships that dominated the seas during the war. Countries would win and lose battles at sea based over the amount, power, and stability of these dreadnoughts.
One fun fact I know is that Germany had a strategy called the Schlieffen Plan which properly estimated how long it would take the Russian Army to mobilize. They thought it would take them at least six weeks and it did!
My favorite fact I learned about WWI was that dogs were used to take messages that had orders on them to the front lines in capsules attached to their bodies. They also used dogs to lay down wires for the telegraph.
I can’t wait for this book!
I actually have 2 favorite facts from World War One.
#1. The youngest soldier to fight in WW1 was 12 year old British soldier, Sidney Lewis. Over 250,000 underage boys were allowed to fight, though most lied about their age. And, while many joined to escape from poor living conditions, many more did so out of love for their country.
#2. During WW1, many women’s soccer teams were created. Women in England, Ireland, Scotland, and France all played up until 1921, when women were banned from soccer until 1971. Some of the games during WW1 and up until 1921, obtained crowds up to 50,000 people.
One of my most favorite facts about World War I is the fact that explosions that had occurred in France were heard all the way in London. (The explosions must’ve been super loud for that to happen!)
During WWI an explosion in France was so loud and powerful that it is said to have been heard over 140 miles away! 900,000 lbs of explosives were detonated under the German front lines.
Something about WW1 that I learned was that due to many soldiers having severe and unusual injuries from war, plastic surgery and facial prosthesis became much more developed and utilized, WW1 even sometimes considered as the birth of plastic surgery.
I loved RESCUE and can’t wait to read LINES OF COURAGE when it comes out, I look forward to seeing the different perspectives!
Soldiers lived in trenches
Hmm, well I know a lot more about WW2 instead of WW1. WW2 is just a favorite research point of mine. But I do know that J.R.R. Tolkien served in the First World War! He was discharged, though, because I think he was injured. However, a lot of his friend died at the Battle of the Somme.
World War One was called “The Great War” and “The War to End all Wars” because it was so big.
I don’t know a ton about World War One, as I’ve mostly read and researched about World War Two, but one interesting fact I found was that the tanks they used had genders. They female tanks were equipped with machine guns while the male tanks had cannons. I wonder if they named them as well…
The youngest British soldier in WWI was 12 years old:)
On, I believe it was October 8, 1918 Alvin Cullum York led an attack on a German gun nest taking 32 machine guns, killing 28 German soldiers and capturing 132 more. He returned home with a Medal of Honor, a promotion to sergeant, and a gift of 400 acres of prime farmland. He was from Tennessee and he was a Christian.
We learned a bit about WW1 in AP US History! I know after the war, the League of Nations was created, but that didn’t work out very well in the end.
When Germany lost the war, everyone else made them pay a lot for it and took away a whole bunch of Germany’s power.
Yay!!! I’m so excited for the new book!! 🥳😁😁
One fun fact I know is that the assassination of the Archduke of Austria lead to the beginning of World War One.
They had lots of trenches in the war and there was a lot of trench fever.
I watched a documentary about WW1 a few years ago, and in it it talked about how they still used horses in WW1! And in the War Horse movie it showed that too.
A fact I found interesting was that the youngest reported British soldier was only 12 years old.
I’m so excited for this book!
One of my favourite facts of WWI was when the Germans first used chlorine gas at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, and the Canadians discovered holding urine-soaked cloth over their faces would prevent them from inhaling the gas. This led to the first crude gas masks being made, also by Canadians. Seeing how far we’ve come with gas masks in the hundred years since then, and how many lives they have saved, is fascinating to me.
One fact that I know off the top of my head is that it starts with the assination of some archduke Franz I-don’t-know-the-last-name of. I should probably go google something about it though
it starts with the assination of some archduke Franz I-don’t-know-the-last-name of. I should probably go google something about it though
it starts with the assination of some archduke Franz I-don’t-know-the-last-name of
The youngest British soldier was 12 year old Sidney Lewis. I can’t imagine fighting a war at that age.
Plastic surgery was invented because of WW1
Thank you for doing all these awesome giveaways! I love your books so much! I found this WWI fact to be really interesting….
During WWI, American hamburgers (named after the German city of Hamburg) were renamed Salisbury steak. Frankfurters, which were named after Frankfurt, Germany, were called “liberty sausages,” and dachshunds became “liberty dogs.” Schools stopped teaching German, and German-language books were burned.
One of my favorite facts about World War One is that Adolf Hitler was a general in World War One. It’s really weird to think about. I also love the whole Christmas truce thing where both sides, for Christmas, stopped fighting and celebrated with each other. It really shows how much Christmas can bring people together, even enemies. I am really exited for this book and I love all your books. Your books are different from anything I have ever read. Happy Holiday Giveaway Month!
I think the coolest WWI fact I’ve heard is that when people were working with dynamite, their skin would turn yellow 🤔
WWI was started after a guy named Franz Ferdinand, Austrian archduke, was assassinated
explotions in france were heard in france.
im so exited for you to relise this book I love world war 1
I don’t know any favorite facts. Sorry. But I find yours about the Red Zone sad and really interesting. I want to know more about the war. Can’t wait to read your new book.
i dont know anything about ww1 🙁
1) British tanks were categorized as male or female, male being cannons and female have machine guns, and were originally called “landships” and made by workers who assembled them in the dark and were told they were to be used for something else, the name was later changed to “tanks” to confuse the enemy
2) Women who worked in munitions factories often had yellow skin from contact with chemicals
3) France built a fake Paris near the actual Paris as a decoy for German bombers
4) A Hungarian solider named Paul Kern was shot in the brain and lived for years after, unable to sleep
5) A wounded pigeon delivered a message that saved the lives of 198 American soldiers
6) Sauerkraut was temporarily known as “Liberty Cabbage”
7) The SMS Cap Trafalgar was sunk by the RMS Carmania, both ships had been disguised as each other
My fact is that Walt Disney was an unofficial ambulance driver during the war!
I can’t wait to read this book!
That WW1 journalists risked their lives to report on the war. They usually never had any training but they risked their lives so that the citizens could be informed. Without them, false media could be spread or not as much information would be known to us now. They are the backbone that got those not on the frontlines through the war despite having to witness and experience many traumas. Without them, no one would be able to write about it.
I personally LOVE to write letters, so i found it quite interesting that even during a war, people still found ways to get letters to the soldiers. Each week, 12 million letters arrived!
The last one that you shared is now my favourite. Not recency bias, I assure you, 400 years to clean up after a battle!!!
I think I had read once that Walt Disney had played some role in the war effort, and I guess I found that kind of funny, or odd.
I am sooooooo excited for this book to come out!!! I love all of your historical fictions!!
My favorite WW1 fact is that the youngest British soldier was only 12 years old. Many boys went to war even though they weren’t old enough, it just shows that they were willing to fight no matter what. Now that’s bravery!!!
Two of my fav facts about WW1 are that the youngest British soldier who fought was only twelve years old (my age!) and that it wasn’t only soldiers who risked their lives in the war. The journalists who reported on it were in as much danger as those actually fighting.
Hi! My favourite fact is that Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated on June 28th 1914, an event which led to the beginning of the war. Strangely, the Archduke’s number plate read: A 111 118, a series that can be read as, Armistice 11 November ’18.
The British had a separate battalion for men who were shorter than 5’3″!
Italy started on the German side but switched to the Allies.
Congrats Lanya!
Oooh! This book sounds super cool!
One fact about World War One: The youngest British soldier in WW1 was just 12 years old!!!
1) British tanks were categorized as male or female, male being cannons and female have machine guns, and were originally called “landships” and made by workers who assembled them in the dark and were told they were to be used for something else, the name was later changed to “tanks” to confuse the enemy.
2) Women who worked in munitions factories often had yellow skin from contact with chemicals
3) France built a fake Paris near the actual Paris as a decoy for German bombers
4) A Hungarian solider named Paul Kern was shot in the brain and lived for years after, unable to sleep
5) A wounded pigeon delivered a message that saved the lives of 198 American soldiers
6) Sauerkraut was temporarily known as “Liberty Cabbage”
7) The SMS Cap Trafalgar was sunk by the RMS Carmania, both ships had been disguised as each other
I have several!
– Hamburgers were known as “liberty steaks” or “liberty sandwiches” during WWI. Similarly, dachshunds were called “liberty pups.”
– A white feather was given to those who didn’t enlist and symbolized cowardliness.
– La Croix de Guerre, given to reward bravery in battle, was given to French and allied soldiers… and a homing pigeon! His name was Cher Ami (dear friend).
My favorite fact I know about World War One is that tanks had genders! The male tanks had cannons, while the female tanks had machine guns on them! So excited for Lines of Courage!!!
A fun fact that I know is that one of the reasons that the United States entered the war is because Germany sent a telegram to Mexico asking them to fight against the United States, and the telegram was intercepted by Great Britian and sent to the United States.
Can’t wait for this book! It looks so good! And it comes out a few days before my birthday! A good birthday present. 😆
A fact about WWI that I know is that the French went into a battle (I’m not sure which one) in horse drawn buggies. This might not be 100% true, I learned it a long time ago, and can’t remember some of it.
Another (more famous) fact is that the Treaty of Versailles, the treaty that ended the war, put Germany in debt. This was a cause of World War Two.
Third fact is that 12 million letters were sent to the war front every week.
Fourth, also more widely known, on Christmas day, the soldiers in the trenches started singing Christmas carols. This lead to soldiers on both sides of the war trading gifts, and having fun. There even might’ve been soccer.
Sorry there are so many facts. I love learning about history.
One of the howitzer (I hope I spelled that right) that was used by the Germans was named Big Burtha after the wife of the designer.
I don’t know a ton about World War One (which is one of many reasons why I’m super excited for Lines of Courage!!!!!) but my favorite fact that I know of would be that the youngest British soldier was just twelve years old. I think he lied about his age to get enlisted or something like that.
This book sounds great! I know a pigeon was awarded a medal for bravery after losing an eye and a leg while successfully delivering a message.
My fact is that World War 1 was called The Great War and became known as World War 1 only after WWII started.
Here are two fun facts about a dog who fought in World War 1:
Stubby, one of the dogs who fought in the first world war, was the only military dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat.
Stubby was once sprayed with mustard gas in the first world war. He survived the toxic gas and had remembered the smell so that he was able to warn the soldiers about oncoming gas bombs and save their lives.
Products of German origin were renamed. For instance, Sauerkraut became “Liberty Cabbage,” Frankfurters became “Liberty Sausage,” German Measles were referred to as “Liberty Measles,” and Dachshunds were called “Liberty Pups.”
I think one of my favorite facts is how everyone thought the war would be over in a matter of weeks (Western Civilization by Jackson J. Spielvogel). It struck me as interesting that they thought that. Imagine. Everyone was so hopeful and yet the war lasted years!
I remember it from one of the reporting during our strategic management class wherein despite the ongoing war it was halted due to the Christmas season, both the opposing parties, the army in particular have chosen to stop the continued war for a short time. Just amazing and pure awesome.
I know a couple fun facts about WWI and didn’t know which one to choose, so I just put all three of them.
In WWI, Russia had enough soldiers to fight, but not enough weapons. In battle, the soldiers would line up in columns, but only the first soldier would have a weapon. When the first soldier died, then the next soldier would pick up the gun and shoot.
The Unknown Soldier, who was chosen by Sergeant Edward F. Younger, came from one of four cemeteries that held soldiers from the four major American battles:Belleau Wood, the Somme, Thiaucourt, and Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Medal of Honor, the Belgian Croix de Guerre, the Victoria Cross of Great Britain, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Italian gold medal, the Romanian Virtue Militara, the Czechoslovak War Cross, and the Virtuti Militari, which made him WWI’s most decorated soldier.
Intrepid war correspondent Floyd Gibbons of the Chicago Daily Tribune followed battalion commander, Major Benjamin Berry. When a bullet hit the Major, Gibbons crawled toward him, getting shot twice
I actually don’t know much at all about WW1 and it’s so true that it has been forgotten in literature in comparison with WW2. This has inspired me to go research more and I will definitely be picking up a copy of your book when it releases!!
My favourite WW1 fact would be that the assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the tipping point for the tension among the countries involved; the death of one man finally brought forth the war so many were afraid of. So excited to read your upcoming book!
Apparently during WWI, Dr Harold Gillies pioneered plastic surgery to repair terrible wounds 🤷🏻♀️
The licence plate of the car Franz Ferdinand drove was A 111 118 (the date of the armistice was 11/11/18).
I love your non-fiction books!! I don’t have this one yet. I want it so bad.
One of my favorite facts about WWI has to do with the entertainers who would travel overseas, often to the front lines, to boost the troops’ morale. One of these performers was a violinist named Vera Barstow. She traveled to the trenches of France with her group, “The Musical Foursome” in 1918 to perform for the soldiers. The group played in hospitals and even in the trenches, close enough that they could hear the battles that raged nearby. Some of their most popular pieces included songs such as “Keep the Home Fires Burning” because these reminded the soldiers of home. The bravery of these young women who risked their lives to bring joy to the soldiers is so inspiring and being a violin player myself, I admire Miss Barstow’s courage very much.
Well, I’m going to have to say, my favorite fact about World War One is the fact that it ended. XD ;D
Dogs were used in the trenches to carry messages.
I don’t know that much about World War One, (I know stuff about World War Two though)
I fact I found that was interesting was that after the war Germany made bike tires out of metal springs because there wasn’t enough rubber available.
My favorite fact about WWI happens to be the Christmas truce. It is so fascinating to me that two sides of a war would come together and celebrate together. This truce goes to show that wars are not always black and white. There are two sides to every story. Not many people can say that they celebrated Christmas with the enemy. They even played soccer together!
World War One started with an assasination!
The United States only spent seven and a half months in actual combat
One of my favorite facts from World War I has to be the Schlieffen Plan. Germany had this perfectly thought out plan, they could’ve easily captured Paris and won the war. However, somewhere along the way there must have been some miscommunication. The execution of the plan was where it went wrong. It just shows how important communicating with people can be and how such a small detail could’ve changed the entire course of the world.
My favorite thing about World War 1 was the Christmas truce. It makes me so happy to hear about how even in the middle of a war, people can recognize that everyone is a person, and Christmas is just the best time of year!
I don’t know much, but I know the Versailles Treaty was the peace treaty that ended WW1!
When it comes to WWI, I find it interesting that it was the first war to involve planes in combat. Planes have played such vital roles throughout war history and it is amazing to think that all started in WWI.
There were 40 million casualties in total, and it all started because a Serbian (Gavrilo Princip) killed an Austrian (Archeduke Franz Ferdinand, also his wife) in Bosnia.