1. 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.

2. Turning the tide of War:
- Two major events take place that will swing the war back and forth
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)

3. 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 mil - European soldiers and sailors (best estimate) - (sick and wounded outnumbered the dead) - millions of civilians are killed and wounded as well