Life — January 31, 1918 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover of Life magazine's "Our Boys Number" during World War I. The illustration by Herman Reenwell depicts a large, menacing figure (likely representing Germany or the German threat) looming over several smaller figures representing American soldiers or "boys." Their expressions show distress or fear as they gaze upward at this threatening presence. The satire plays on anxieties about young American men being sent to fight in WWI. Published just months before major U.S. involvement intensified, the image evokes both the physical danger soldiers faced and the emotional toll on families sending their sons to war. The "Our Boys" title underscores this theme of national concern for America's youth on the battlefield.