Entertainers
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(Janis, 1919)
Soldiers spent months away from home, over seas, fighting in the war. The troops were becoming exhausted and their spirits were low. Back at home, a popular performer by the name Elsie Janis came up with an idea that would later give her the nick name of “The Sweetheart of the American Expeditionary Forces” (Janis, 1919).
Janis decided that she would take her entertainment skills overseas to lift troop’s spirits. Committed to entertain all the doughboys(term given to infantrymen in World War One), she set out on a sixth month journey determined to give troops morale, preforming for crowds anywhere from fifty to five thousand soldiers. Janis preformed multiple times a day for troops, toured hospitals, and visited many camps. Traveling in small vehicles and often staying in small quarters, Elsie Janis proved herself very valuable in World War One (Janis, 1919).
Elsie Janis wrote a book recalling her experience entitled The Big Show: My Six Months with The American Expeditionary Forces. In her book, Janis mentions a time when she was traveling to a camp only to pass another camp with worn out soldiers- “We Saw a Canadian Camp by the side of the road with a lot of the saddest men I ever saw wading around in mud to their knees, I asked them if they had had a show lately. They also had had nothing in months. These poor boys are not in the firing line, but they make it possible in many ways. Well, we said we would stop by that night on the way back. I’ve never heard three more lusty cheers than they gave me”. (Janis, 1919, p.45).
Elise Janis provided soldiers with a few moments of joy, for a moment they could forget about the trouble on the front line. Women like Elise Janis sacrificed their time and safety for the welfare of the American troops. Elise Janis and other women entertainers boosted the morale of many soldiers (Janis 1919, p 65).
Janis decided that she would take her entertainment skills overseas to lift troop’s spirits. Committed to entertain all the doughboys(term given to infantrymen in World War One), she set out on a sixth month journey determined to give troops morale, preforming for crowds anywhere from fifty to five thousand soldiers. Janis preformed multiple times a day for troops, toured hospitals, and visited many camps. Traveling in small vehicles and often staying in small quarters, Elsie Janis proved herself very valuable in World War One (Janis, 1919).
Elsie Janis wrote a book recalling her experience entitled The Big Show: My Six Months with The American Expeditionary Forces. In her book, Janis mentions a time when she was traveling to a camp only to pass another camp with worn out soldiers- “We Saw a Canadian Camp by the side of the road with a lot of the saddest men I ever saw wading around in mud to their knees, I asked them if they had had a show lately. They also had had nothing in months. These poor boys are not in the firing line, but they make it possible in many ways. Well, we said we would stop by that night on the way back. I’ve never heard three more lusty cheers than they gave me”. (Janis, 1919, p.45).
Elise Janis provided soldiers with a few moments of joy, for a moment they could forget about the trouble on the front line. Women like Elise Janis sacrificed their time and safety for the welfare of the American troops. Elise Janis and other women entertainers boosted the morale of many soldiers (Janis 1919, p 65).