NPR

'The Hello Girls' Chronicles The Women Who Fought For America — And For Recognition

A book published today, the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I, tells the story of "America's First Women Soldiers" who served as switchboard operators in the field.
Six members of the U.S. Army Signal Corps preparing to ship off for France in 1918, where they and 217 other women served as switchboard operators.

During World War I, some 223 members of the U.S. Army Signal Corps performed a highly specialized service which demanded great skill, nerve and tenacity: Over the vast network of telephone lines that had been hastily constructed across France, these soldiers worked the complicated switchboards connecting the ever-shifting front lines with vital supply depots and military command. At the height of the fighting, they connected over 150,000 calls per day.

They had been

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR6 min readAmerican Government
Adult Film Star Stormy Daniels Is Testifying Against Trump In New York Trial
Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, has spent the last several years in legal battles with former President Trump. She has taken the stand to testify against him in a criminal trial.
NPR2 min readInternational Relations
Nebraska Republican Brings Resolution To Censure Ilhan Omar
This comes after recent remarks Omar gave on a college campus where she referred to Jewish students not engaging in an anti-Israel protest "pro-genocidal."
NPR2 min readInternational Relations
Israeli Forces Take Control Of The Gaza Side Of The Rafah Crossing With Egypt
An Israeli tank brigade seized control Tuesday of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, authorities said, as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remain on a knife's edge.

Related Books & Audiobooks