When flipping through the pamphlet box, a few stood out to me, but I definitely did not expect myself to choose such a rudimentary topic to read and write about. The pamphlet called “The American Ambulance” by Robert Bacon explains that “ambulance” is the French term for hospital and was about the hospital set up by Americans in France during the war. The idea of a hospital in the war is a tale as old as time, it was near the front lines, injured soldiers were rushed in daily, the number of wounded grew, and many noble men and women worked reluctantly to save the lives of strangers. However, as I read more into the pamphlet, I learned that this hospital was more than just a place for healing physical wounds, but it was also a symbol of gratitude.
After the French assisted the Americans in their fight for independence, the United States had yet to return the favor, and this hospital was their token of gratitude. The pamphlet describes in detail how small cars were used to transport soldiers from the front lines and the task was so dangerous the car couldn’t risk honking their horns or else they would be heard by the enemy. Aside from the dangers of the location, the men and women who volunteered to worked in the hospital were paid a quarter of their salary back home.
This information shocked me because after over 140 years, the Americans felt such a strong debt towards the French that they not only risked their lives a great deal but also took on a fraction of their typical compensation to work in the hospital. The dedication the Americans showed to this cause was so impressive that the French gave 52 men awards for “bravery under fire” and 2 men even won the highest award the French army has to offer. The men who ambulated soldiers from the war zone were so passionate about their cause and understood the debt the United States owed to the French so whole heartedly that they laid their life on the line to save people they had never met. Furthermore, the Americans even took a large pay reduction so that they may contribute to repaying the French for their aid in American independence.
The actions of the men and women spelled throughout this pamphlet set a precedence for international relationships. They illustrate the emphasis Americans put on paying their dues to their neighboring countries so as to remain on good terms with their allies. It conveys the admiration the Americans have for the country that helped them achieve a system of independence and democracy which fortifies American value of what they believe to be the best form of government. Even after 141 years, citizens of the United States were still so passionate about their way of life that they were willing to take a significant pay cut and risk their lives to show their gratitude to their European neighbors for a history altering act of kindness.
Fascinating! Remember to note the date on something like this, because it makes it even more interesting. This was written 1916, well before the U.S. was “officially” in the war. So the hospital’s existence as a representative of a “neutral” country is even more interesting. After noting the date, you’ll also want to note the author and audience. A historical document like this one works on multiple levels. There’s the surface meaning, here the notion of an American debt and the sacrifices made to repay that debt. But there are also subterranean meanings: whose interests are served presenting the Americans’ interests in this way? Why might the author want to emphasize historical debt, beyond the most obvious. Was it part of making clear that the hospital was not driven by current politics, and therefore not a departure from the U.S.’s official position of neutrality? Let’s dig into this a bit more!