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MOTION PICTURE ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY
Lieutenant Colonel Walter E. Prosper*
THE first interest displayed by the United States Army in motion pictures was in the field which, at the time, it shared in common with the rest of the world, the field of amusement. During the early history of the motion picture, the Army was concerned solel}' with the entertainment value of pictures and motion picture shows were to be found in every Army post. Even under canvas in the field, the troops had picture shows. They were welcomed by officers and enlisted men alike. I doubt if there has ever been devised a method of entertainment that more perfectly meets the demand of the military for sane and wholesome recreation than the motion picture. In most commands, a bugle call announced the hour of pictures. In my experience only one other call awakened more general interest in the command — the one known to all soldiers as ^'Pay Day", announcing the presence of the pajnnaster in camp.
There is no record of the Army realizing the instructional value of film prior to the entry of the United States into the World War. This is easily explained.
The military arm of the country during the days I am discussing was a small, compact, highly trained body of regular soldiers. The most efficient method of instruction, that of actual practice, drill and maneuver, was in vogue. The results produced hj this method were entirely satisfactory. There was no need for intensive high speed training of large bodies of untrained men, such as became imperative when once the World War broke upon us, and, therefore, no necessity existed for increasing the methods of instruction employed in the Army at that time.
The World War brought with it many problems for the United States Army. In a short time our small regular force of 165,000 grew to four million men. Military organizations of over a thousand men frequently included not more than one Regular Army officer. The training problem soon grew to tremendous size and importanee.
"■ Signal Corps., U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.
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