For this post I have decided to look at the website 100 Years of In Flanders Fields, an interactive timeline of the life of John McCrae, author of the famed poem “In Flanders Fields”.
What is this project? What does it offer?
100 Years of In Flanders Fields is a timeline celebrating the history of one of Canada’s most well-known pieces of writing, and the life of the man behind it. Moving through the timeline takes the reader through a map of John McCrae’s life, showing the path from his birthplace to his college, where he studied medicine, overseas to South Africa and at last to France.
This look into the author’s life provides context for “In Flanders Fields”, beyond the common (almost fable-like) story of it being a poem written by a man in the back of an ambulance, grieving for his lost friend. Insight into the life of McCrae shows how the poem “In Flanders Fields” came to be. One remembered work among many unremembered works by a young artist and poet, a doctor who had fought in one war already. This famous work was not the first, but would be the second-last poem written by McCrae before his death in 1918.
The map ends in France, where McCrae spent his final days. Replaced by the short documentary Front Lines; which features footage and images of the Great War alongside the letters and war diaries of soldiers. The documentary is funded by the Department of Defense.
Who is this project for?
This project seems suited for any member of the public, regardless of previous knowledge of the topic. It is amazingly simple, with an easily scrollable layout and concisely written entries. The information expands on common knowledge pertaining to World War I and to “In Flanders Fields” and does not feature many overly detailed dates and descriptions. Narrowing the scope of its history to a single man’s life results in the history elements feeling both digestible and narrativized.
Is it a valuable project?
There is value in exploring the origin of such a culturally iconic work as “In Flanders Fields”, and in providing biographical knowledge of its author. This project, despite its tight focus on John McCrae, does feel rather brief in its exploration of his life and of the poem’s context. It is hard to say how much more information could reasonably be given through this format, while still appealing to those outside of academia. As someone specifically interested in World War I history, I wanted more from this project than I ultimately got. However, it is hard to dispute the value that this project might have, especially to readers who might find history boring. 100 Years of In Flanders Fields delivers its information effectively to anyone willing to passively scroll. It is full of images to draw one’s attention, and its map function gives the illusion of an active journey through the history being presented. Ultimately I do think that the project has value, at least to the right audience.
Final Thoughts
This might not be in the spirit of this project, but what has stuck with me about this project is the objective way in which information is delivered. Obviously, a good historical source should not seek to moralize the past. However, the Front Lines documentary sponsored by the Department of Defense cast a shadow over the project for me. It is hard not to feel that the writings in this documentary are pointedly selected for how they portray the war, given how few they are compared to the amount of surviving writings from this time. The documentary also does not feature McCrae himself, and would seem to be only for providing some detail of World War I itself. Interestingly, however, similar treatment is not given to the Boer War. Even though “In Flanders Fields” was not written during this time, it would seem to be in the spirit of this timeline to discuss any writings McCrae might have made then that were similar to “In Flanders Fields”, as the veterans.gs.ca page on him states that he was already writing poetry by this time. This page also contains most of the same information from this project.
