Ch 12 - Sec 3 - Americans on the European Front “How did American troops help defeat the Central Powers? Preparing for war: - Selective Service Act (3 mil from 24 mil) Made up the AEF - “American Expeditionary Forces” - Training was minimal in order to rush them to war - Convoy system helped protect men and equipment - US troops kept separate from Allied troops in order to keep them from becoming “defensive” in their approach to fighting.

Turning the tide of War: - Two major events take place that will swing the war back and forth - 1917 Russian Revolution removes the Russians from the war (Germany goes on the offensive) pushes within 50 miles of Paris - US troops join in and help repel the German offensive. (at great cost - 1/2 the troops in one battle) - Germans will counter attack at the battle of the Marne, Allies will prevail - Germans will counter one more time in Argonne and will be defeated (the beginning of the end)

Ending the War: - Germans want to negotiate at peace agreement, however….. The Allies refuse….Why? - Allies want “unconditional” surrender - What will be more deadly than the weapons during WWI? - Influenza - starts in US, spread to Europe by our troops - Over 30 million will die worldwide from it. - The result of the war - 50,000 - US troops killed - 8 mil - European soldiers and sailors (best estimate) - (sick and wounded outnumbered the dead) - millions of civilians are killed and wounded as well