by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

Though residing in the United States, one’s citizenship could result in being called up for military service, as this article in the Statesman describes:

SITUATION COMPLICATED
Many Drafted Are Claimants of U.S. Citizenship

Washington, Aug. 28. – American consuls in Europe are being overwhelmed with appeals for aid from claimants of American citizenship who have been forced to take up arms for their land of birth.

In Germany, the situation is the most complicated, for the only treaties the United States has which touches on this subject were made with separate states and principalities before the confederation of the empire. None of these accept first naturalization papers as a valid obstacle against repatriation.

Many Americans by adoption who are surgeons or physicians, mechanics or at least material for able-bodied soldiery, have been or are about to be sent to war. In the cases of those who are bona fide citizens the state departments making representations, but it was pointed out today diplomatic bodies move slower than recruiting sergeants.

During the first month of the war, French and British forces were hard-pressed to hold back the German armies. Paris was threatened and the government was forced to retire to Bordeaux. It would not be until the middle of September that German forces would be stopped on the Marne, and the front would be stabilized. As the Statesman headline read: “Allies Call on All Available Men and Guns to Stop Advance of Germans on French Capital.”

In the east, German armies were battling Russian forces that had invaded East Prussia. Over a several day period between the 26th and 30th of August the German 8th Army almost completely destroyed the Russian Second Army. In follow-up battles during September, the Russian First Army was also defeated. These two battles effectively kept Russia at a disadvantage until 1915.