1. The US Enters the War

2. Review! Why did the US hesitate to enter the War at the beginning?
What event caused the US to enter the war?

3. How did the United States raise an Army?
Selective Service Act (Draft)
Before draft—200,000 men in service.
3 million men called to serve.
2 million went into action in WWI.

4. How did U.S. soldiers help win the war?
Sheer Numbers
Freshness and Enthusiasm
Determination---Beat the Germans

5. How did the U.S. build its naval force?
Encouraged people to work in the ship building industry.
Government took over ships being built for the Great Lakes and for private use.
Fabrication - Assembling ships in a shipyard by bringing in manufactured parts and putting them together.

6. How did the U.S. Navy help win the war?
Opened shipping lanes by stopping U-boats.
Convoy System -Merchant ships were surrounded by naval ships for protection.

7. New weapons of Mechanized Warfare
Airplane
Tank
Machine Guns
Artillery
Zeppelin
Poison Gasses

8. Cost of WWI Civilians—13 million deaths Military—13 million deaths
Injuries—20 million people
Refugees—10 million
Economic costs—$350 billion
With costs like this it is no surprise that people called this “the war to end all wars”.
The cost was so high, people could not imagine it being worse.