right outside paris. she was buried in one of the paris cemeteries, there are so many cemeteries in france for world war i. such a tragic war. another was initially buried in the same one outside paris because she was behind the lines. but her family asked for her to be brought home. she and other deceased soldiers. this is a weird thing. they kept calling them soldiers and talking about their discharge. they had regular army uniforms. it was the uniform that ended up being the crucial piece of evidence. did you know, it is illegal to impersonate an officer or military person? by wearing the uniform, by giving them these uniforms and treating them as soldiers, they had made them soldiers. other questions? i really enjoyed watching the series "the great war," by pbs world experience. have theed the germans

lines throughout the entire war. how did these women get around the germans tapping the lines? they knew everything we were doing before we did it. because they capped the lines. ms. cobbs: the women knew when the lines were being tapped. would you put civilians in charge of your most intense military secrets? these women could hear everything going along -- around in every call. if the line was tapped it went dull. they had to be alert to that. they also spoken codes that were changing all the time. uncle, all these codes that would change rapidly. there the problems when -- headquarters was partially destroyed, they could not tell

the other women why they had not been answering their calls for the last half hour, and they were not happy with them. if you could tap the line, you could deduce where the general staff might be. they had to be very alert to this type of problem of listening for that, being aware of it. any other questions? i hope you will get to know the hello girls. they fought so hard for their story. and they fought so hard to keep their story going until it could be a knowledge finally by our government. the national archives made that possible. i do hope you'll get the book and read it and enjoyed as much as i enjoyed learning it myself. thank you. [applause]

>> you are watching american history tv, 48 hours of programming of american history every weekend on c-span3. c-spanus on twitter at history for information on our schedule and to keep up with the latest history news. >> up next, nurses in the army. the half-hour look at the work of peacetime nurses in the 1950's in korea, japan, hawaii, and germany. this is an episode of the big picture, a weekly television series reduced by the u.s. army between 1950 and 1975. the program was restored by the national archives. we are airing it today to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the women's army corps in 1942. ♪

>> today, the latest weapons, coupled with the fighting skill of the american soldier stand ready, on the alert, all over the world, to defend this country. you, the american people, against aggression. this is the big picture. toofficial television report the nation from the united states army. now, to show you part of the big picture, here is sergeant stewart queen. aware of us are well the great and historic achievements of our u.s. army nurses. in world war ii and during the korean war, we heard, read, and how the armyw nurse went there great hardship

in her duty. the same hardships of the troops that she accompanied into combat. the relatively little has been reported of the army nurse in peacetime. yet she still serves, not only in mistakes, but all over the world. today on the big picture we would like to talk about an army nurse overseas. -- not only her work, but how she spends her leisure time. and something of what she thinks and feels as she serves her troops and our country in the far-flung corners of the world. korea is no longer on the front pages of the newspaper these days. it is a poor country, much like it was before the war. but with the mark of war upon it. american troops are here still. to ward off possible aggression, we are here, too.

the army nurse corps. not on thewar is battlefield, we must be ready in case of emergency to care for the wounded. and in peacetime, to fight the eternal battle against disease and sickness. when a new group of nurses arise at the airport it is always something of an event. but the newcomers as well as the new timers. not much time is lost between arriving in being assigned to a hospital. there is plenty of work to be done here. each new nurse has a job waiting for her. first, in korea, a new nurse is given a proper outfit for protecting against the cold of the korean winter. the keynote is not fashion, but utility. it is not mink, but it is warm.

for once, it is nice to try on a hat and not wonder if it is the right one. does it do something for you? you bet, it keeps you cozy at -5 . new nurses are on the roster and the routine of work in the war has begun. all over the world, wherever our troops are stationed, the army nurse is an ally of a soldier in his fight against sickness and pain. her words of sympathy and understanding can be as important and valuable as skill and knowledge. both are required if she is really to fulfill her role as an army nurse. the army assumes full responsibility for the care of the sick. in any of army hospital in peacetime, there are the usual number of serious cases. patients who require operative treatment.

they are on par with the best civilian hospitals anywhere. at each stage of care, the most up-to-date methods are employed. we nurses a standby during an operation, trying our best to be the doctor's right hand, concentrating on playing our part, making the right moves during the teamwork of the operation. being a skilled assistant at an operation, anticipating the surgeon's needs. this can be one of the nurse's jobs in the operating room. such work requires special training. but when a patient is coming out out of an operation and the first face he sees is that of a nurse, and it is a pleasant, smiling face, this too is important in the care of the patient. and for this, there is no training. when a patient is back in the

ward, the serious work of returning him to health continues. throughout his treatment, he is aided by the knowledge, skill, and understanding of the army nurse. especially those who have had considerable experience, are taking part in the program of esteemed korean nurses in treating the sick. korea is still faced with many postwar problems. not the least of which is the health of the war-ravaged people. more serious korean casualties of the war are being cared for in our hospitals. where koreans are often employed to assist in the war. we give our own medical corps man instructions and war duties. such as taking patients' blood pressure.

teaching seems to be a major responsibility in the life of an army nurse, especially overseas, where knowledge of modern medicine and care is at a premium. interpreter, one instructs a group of korean nurses in the techniques and procedures used in our hospital. the newly arrived nurse takes a few days to get adjusted to being on her feet all day. hours she isty often off her feet. those who are pretty well accustomed to the hard physical routine are looking for active recreation when the work day is over. we nurses enjoy physical exercise and take pride in keeping fit and alert. we must take of sick people. and we try to maintain our resistance against illness through regular exercise.

a lot of being overseas is fun. sightseeing, exploring. each country has its wonders. since our troops are scattered everywhere, an army nurse has a chance to see a good bit of the world. korea, one can discover oneself in fascinating and ancient cultures. exciting being on the spot than reading about it in books. womaneral, the type of becomes a nurse is interested in people. in korea, the everyday life of the people is just as fascinating to us as any building or monument. there are little things to recall, snapshots, or to enclose in the letter home. one of the strongest reactions one has in korea is that the

people need help. and it is most satisfying to be assigned to work in the civilian assistance program. to nourish back to health, to be part of this world, to feel there is no other work you would prefer to do. this is what it means to be a nurse. isng an army nurse overseas for nurses that want to go places and do things. frequently those on assignment in the far east have the ability to visit tokyo, an exciting place for shopping and sightseeing. a woman in the army nor score -- discovers she is seen as a woman first, then a member of her profession. her life is not regimented. she is expected to grow as a person. thecan be enthusiastic and

world about her. she is given time to develop interest, enjoy stimulating activity and companionship. shots recreation allows her to return to her work refreshed and ready. in japan and wherever she is stationed, many activities are made available. she is encouraged to have a good time in her off-hours. the army nurse is a well-rounded person, understanding and interested in people, as well as young at heart, fun-loving, and gay. a great many nurses are assigned army hospitals. our largest hospital in the far east. it bustles with medical experts to carry out the mission of the hospital. assigned by commanding first

officer carl kirkpatrick. >> although the shooting has stopped in korea, illness, disease, and injury is a constant challenge to doctors, nurses, and enlisted personnel in the tokyo hospital. half of our armed forces are american and other nations, are of paramount importance. our job at this hospital is to keep these forces in good health. through this, we dedicate all the skill and resources of modern medicine. think of the largest hospital you know and you will begin to appreciate the size of the army hospital in tokyo. there are hardly enough american nurses to do all the work. for this reason, it is the practice of this hospital, as it is elsewhere, to employ foreign nationals to help us out. the young japanese women who work with us are pleasant and gentle and most efficient.

they seem to be born nurses. nurse? a born can you tell by the way she moves? the way she uses her hands to prepare the sterilized hypodermic needle, the manner in which she administers an injection? can you see it in the way she dresses a wound? the way she places the gauze over the exposed flesh? the answer is, yes. the little things help show whether she is right for the job. whether she is a natural. something else should be in her character, an awareness of the patient's wants and needs and to send something of what he feels, a desire to help him in his distress. to sense his different moods, to be able to bring good cheer when he is alone and feeling his loneliness, this can be as

valuable as any medicine in the world. a nurse who enjoys her work gains the medical knowledge every day. what is more, she becomes a source of knowledge to others, passing on what she has learned from her teachers, doctors, and taught medical experts. an education one receives in a big hospital, and everyone benefits. especially in most importantly, the patient. hydrotherapy, a whirlpool bath, to give passive exercise to muscles of the leg. many of the experts who wear the white uniform of a nurse are actually members of the women's medical specialist corps, a branch of the army medical service. these women are experts in the fields of dietetics, and physical and occupational therapy.

they are in relatively new professions, which the army has recognized as an important part of medical practice. since the army assumes the responsibility of providing medical care for the servicemen's family, those children are fortunate you are cared for in the tokyo hospital. for here, the pediatric surface is the finest. those nurses who were assigned to it find their task of continuous interest and pleasure. there are moments, however, when the patient sees no pleasure in anything. traditionally, it is been a woman's role to tend the sick. but it is her natural and instinctive role to care for the young.

with young children, the army nurses very much at home. in the evening, the army nurse is at home in a different sense. she can be alone and undisturbed to write a letter. or, she can be with others. rarely is she at a loss of something to do in her leisure hours. what she does with her free time will depend to some extent on where she is stationed. if she is lucky enough to be stationed in hawaii, she will have absolutely no problem enjoying herself in this land of sunshine. the army hospital in hawaii is as modern as they come. and well doing the best for the patient, the army did not whoset the nurses, quarters are attractive and comfortable. ♪

>> there is a bright gleam about hawaii. even inside the hospital, the equipment glistens in its newness. it is the very best, the very latest. however, the appearance of things is not of greatest importance in your work as an army nurse. wherever you are stationed, you will find one factor to be of greater consequence than any other. and that is the satisfaction you game -- gain from your work. the satisfaction you are helping people get well. if the job mean something to you, it is not where you are stationed or how shiny the equipment, but the work of nursing itself. patients are grateful, complaining.m unlike civilian sick with a family nearby, the soldier has no one to look after him except the army nurse. to the patient, we are not only nurses to look after they'll, but mother, sister, and friend

but mother, sister, and friend. during convalescence men lose some of their confidence. they cannot do with they used to do. we try to restore their confidence, give them new things to accomplish. watch., listen, and of all the people in the hospital, we are closest to the patient. guiding him daily and his road to recovery. no matter what his age, a patient response to the personality of the nurse. is there any doubt that this nurse has a sunny disposition? no, sir. she has been given the seal of approval. in a large hospital such as this one in hawaii, one can see an army principle in operation, and that is training. duty, iut one's tour of nurses constantly exchanging ideas about the job she is doing in an effort to do a better.

one basic and rather present fact of life for the army nurse overseas is that there are usually a good many young officers who can be counted on as escorts. in most corners of the globe, the army nurse finds a delightfully high proportion of men to women. plus, the beautiful, tropical background of hawaii, can make for a very pleasant afternoon. during the civil war, nurses were expected to be plain looking. but youth and looks are far from being taboo today. ancientcome far from an conception of an army nurse. and she is a freer and happier individual because of it. today, she knows and enjoys the excitement of travel. her work takes her not only to hawaii and areas in the pacific, but to germany and france and the middle east. here in the united states zone

of germany she is close to the world behind the iron curtain. what is duty like in this part of the world? let us follow one nurse during the first hours and days of her new assignment in a foreign land. after she is picked up at the station, this young attendant is driven to the united states army hospital. like any officer in the army, she goes through the preliminaries of signing in at the new post and formally meets the officer who will assign her to a new duty. all of this is formal and military, but friendly.

all the newest anesthetics and methods are taught and the students learn to exercise great

care. nurses, specialists or not, try with changing medical practices, both in the hospital and specialists courses with top-flight medical personnel. and all our work we are guarded by words we spoke when we became part of the call, the pledge of the nurse. the responsibilities of ie officer in the call area shall give faithful care for the men fight for the freedom of his country and to the women who stand behind.

i shall bring the best of my knowledge and professional skill. cheerfullyroach him at all times under any conditions i may find. to maintain the highest standards possible in the performance of my duties. my only criticism shall be constructing -- second only to the care of my patients. i shall endeavor to be a credit to the country and the uniform eyewear. >> we are happy to have presented this impression of the army nurse overseas. we feel you will join us in a tribute to her and the fine work she's continuing to do and the service of her country.