Bücher von Mark Strecker

World War I started in August 1914, but the United States did not enter it until April 6, 1917. The outbreak caused thousands of American civilians to become refugees desperate to get away from the warzone. This book tells some of their stories.

Shanghaiing, the forcing of a man to sail on a merchant ship against his will, plagued the seafaring world between 1849 and 1915. Shanghaiing existed because of a confluence of events involving the opium trade, tea, gold, and the opening of the Suez Canal. A shortage of sailors and the unwillingness of seamen to set foot on certain types of ships were also issues. Seamen suffered from great deprivations, all for a paltry sum usually squandered during shore leave.