Volume IV of Source Records of the Great War, Published in 1923

1923/united States

Source Records of the Great War is a comprehensive seven-volume documentary history compiled immediately following the conclusion of the First World War. Published in 1923 by the American Legion, the collection was assembled under the editorial direction of Charles F. Horne and Walter F. Austin to preserve firsthand accounts from statesmen, generals, and ordinary soldiers. The set offered readers a vast repository of official reports, diplomatic correspondence, and eyewitness testimonies spanning the years leading up to the conflict through the peace conferences.

The volumes were issued in distinctive, colorful bindings featuring elaborate art nouveau gilt stamping on the spine and front boards to appeal to patriotic veterans and home-front readers. Each volume covered specific chronological periods or thematic aspects of the war, making the set an ambitious and monumental publishing endeavor of the interwar era. Today, while complete matched sets in pristine condition hold moderate appeal for military history enthusiasts, individual volumes circulate widely and are commonly found outside of complete sets.