The European Front

Under Prepared U.S. now at war April 1917 less than 100,000 active army Smallest military of 16 nations Under Prepared

Draftees & Volunteers Forces sent over at first to be morale boost Hoped for 1 million men by 1918 3 million by 1919 Selective Service Act May 1917 November 1918 24 million registered for draft Lottery picked 3 million American Expeditionary Force (AEF) Volunteers & National Guardsmen Women for nurses, clerks, drivers Draftees & Volunteers

“War to End All Wars” Expanded training camps New skills: Bayonet Gas mask Throw grenade Trench warfare Training normally took months Cut very short for help “War to End All Wars”

Convoy System Merchant & unarmed ships traveled with destroyers Helped to fight Germans April – December 1917 merchant ship loss cut in half U-boat did not sink a single troop ship Convoy System

Review How did the training take place and what were the outcomes? What were examples of new technology the troops needed to learn how to use? What was the convoy system? Review

Soldiers in Europe U.S. troops separate from Allies Used for offense 300,000 African American volunteers segregated units Most never saw combat Marines refused to accept any Mostly manual labor 369th infantry loaned to France Won the Croix de Guerre Soldiers in Europe

Turning the tide Russia shook from another Revolution November 1917 – Bolsheviks overthrew republic Start of communism Lenin signed truce with Germany March 3, 1918 peace treaty Left the war Germany now fighting single front war Germany came within 50 miles of Paris Turning the tide

America to the Rescue America stopped Germany from Paris Brigadier General James G. Harbor – “We Dig no trenches to fall back on. The Marines will hold where they stand.” Loss over half troops Turned tide of war Germany attempted to retake the Marne River French and 28,000 U.S. troops ended any hope for victory America to the Rescue

After Paris about 250,000 American soldiers arriving each month THE TANK Cross trenches Destroy barbed wire August 8 – Americans recaptured German gains September – Allies hit final German strongholds Destroyed supply lines Germany in full retreat Allied Counter Attack

War in Air Entered war with 55 planes Built hundred quickly Wooden frames covered in cloth Open-air cockpit Scout enemy positions Zeppelins Floating airships Bombers War in Air

Review How well did American Soldiers fair in the war? What was the impact of American soldiers in the war? What was the significance of the new air warfare? Review

Ending the War Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire backed out Austria-Hungary splintered Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks Germany begged for peace Allies denied November 10 – Kaiser fled to Holland Armistice signed at 5:00 am November 11, 1918 Ending the War

The Flu Epidemic killed more people than any battle June disabled 500,000 German troops Spread easily in unsanitary conditions At home schools, churches, theaters closed Death rate 32% The Flu

Results of the War 50,000 Americans died in battle More from disease Losses tiny compared to other nations Total death of 8 million soldiers and sailors About 5,000 each day Sick and wounded outnumbered the dead Trench Foot amputations Results of the War

Closure What new skills had to be learned by the American troops? How were African Americans treated during the war? What was the name of German floating airships? Describe the death tolls in battle and other causes. Closure