Guts and Glory

          Why was it that so many famous writers in the 20th century chose to serve in World War I rather than concentrate on their literary careers? It is said that at least 23 authors drove ambulances in the first World War, and many served in other ways, working in medical fields. Some of the most famous literary figures to do so were Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, e.e Cummings, and Somerset Maugham. Gertrude Stein also worked in the medical field during the war. 
          What was it that made the appeal to drive these ambulances so strong for these famous writers? And why did this occur in World War I more than in other wars? Up to this time, there were not many ambulance services to join. The first ambulance wagons were seen in the 1480's with Queen Isabella's forces and in 1792, the chief surgeon of the Grand Armee of France developed the first of these wagons specifically designed as ambulances. They had medical supplies and refreshments, but the first motorized ambulances were not seen until the late 19th century. The medical care of this time however, was not known to be of good quality. Early ambulance wagons were also pulled by animals, which did not prove to be very effective. 

Early ambulance wagon

          When the first automobile ambulance was created in Chicago in 1899, it had the an attractive allure due to its speed and novelty. Young, educated men were drawn to this and, in fact, many young men had to learn to drive first, before they could serve. There was also prestige to driving these ambulances, and volunteers were considered "gentlemen drivers"and equivalent to officers. 
            

Early automobile ambulance 

          Moreover, a number of these famous poets and writers who became ambulance drivers did so because they did not pass the qualifications to serve. Some had bad vision, such as Hemingway, and in Maugham's case, some were too old or too short. People joined to help serve the country, to be with their friends and people they knew, and for adventure. Many of them simply joined the army to escape their dull lives. Many soldiers in the war, however, looked down on these ambulance drivers for having non-combattive roles in the war. 
          Being part of this war experience first-hand provided for a lot of literary subject matter. It inspired many of the famous poets and authors, as they had much time to think while driving and were emotionally moved by witnessing the suffering of war. Hemingway, for example, published A Farewell to Arms, which was about an ambulance driver who fell in love with a nurse in the war. e.e. Cummings wrote The Enormous Room about his own experience in a French prison. 
          After returning from war, many of these authors were too restless to stay at home. They continued to travel in order to experience and see new things, inspiring more of their later poems. 

Sources:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/ambulance.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ambulance_drivers_during_World_War_I
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1954/hemingway-bio.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/169718/John-Dos-Passos
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/156
http://www.ctspanish.com/legends/isabella1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Armée
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Farewell_to_Arms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enormous_Room
http://www.powerweb.net/bbock/war/trans.html
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