The US Enters the War

 May 18, 1917 congress passes the selective service act (draft)  By summer the military was still not prepared for the recruits that reported for training  Supplies had been ordered but hadn’t arrived yet  Training still took place despite the lack of supplies

 Learned military rules and practices  Marching  Preparing for inspection  Practiced with wooden sticks instead of rifles  Rode wooden barrels instead of horses  Discrimination and segregation were part of the military service

AFRICAN AMERICANSHISPANICS  Separate divisions  Separate camps  Not allowed to used weapons  Many politicians and southerners feared retribution after the war  Few regiments were trained for combat  Faced discrimination also  Scorn from other American troops  Many times were only assigned menial tasks  Given English classes that once completed were then allowed to served alongside other American troops

 Those that went over seas were referred to as  American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)  Regular army  National guard  Volunteers and draftees Arrived in France in June of 1917  Forces were transported safely by the convoy system  The situation was grim in Europe for the allies  Desperate for Americans to start fighting asap  General John J Pershing had other plans  Thought they needed more training

SETBACKSUS TROOPS IN ACTION  The Russian revolution took place and the new leaders signed a treaty with the central powers  The treaty of Brestlovik  Germany’s army would no longer be divided  This led to a massive offensive on the western front and push the Allies back to the Marne River just 70 miles east of Paris  Learned quickly about trench warfare  There was much death  But the renewed energy that the Americans bring to the front help turn the tide of the war  After two major German defeats aided by American troops the allies are able to halt the German Advance

 The role of American military women varied  French speaking American women were recruited to serve as switchboard operators  20,000 nurses served during WWI in the US Army overseas  Navy & marines included: typists, book keepers, radio operators, electricians, & telegraphers

 July of 1918 the Germans make there last stand at the Marne River.  By Aug. 3 the Germans suffered 150,000 casualties  Allies continue to advance  120,000 American lives lost in one battle  By the end of 1918 the Central Powers began to see the writing on the wall  By Nov. of 1918 Germany surrenders  8.5 million had lost their lives  “The War to End all Wars”