2. War of Firsts First time the government sent large numbers of American soldiers to a war across the sea – When the war first began, the US had a volunteer army of 200,000 soldiers – They received low pay and lacked equipment – To enter the war, the military needed tens of thousands more soldiers First Selective Service System – Created a national draft – All men 21-30 must register for service – 1 st time there is a draft before entering a war

3. Selective Service con’t – Nearly 10 million young men registered First time Americans Reach French Soil – The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) Nicknamed the “doughboys” Most were infantry- fought on foot Fought under command of John J Pershing – War was going poorly for Allies Major defeats Russian Revolution in 1917 – Began making plans to withdraw from war – Made a peace treaty with Germans and Austrians »Forced Russia to give up large amounts of territory »Was the end to fighting on the Eastern front

4. Germany could now focus its troops on the western front American troops sent to fight on the Western Front in France  First African American Officer Training Camp 400,000 African Americans joined the Armed Forces Segregated white and black troops in training camps and overseas 1917- Camp to train black soldiers as officers Most black soldiers served under white officers in labor or supply units in France or US 369 th Regiment- operated under French command, took part in active combat, earned high praise, “Hell Fighters”

6. New Technologies  Unlike previous wars No more face-to-face and hand-to-hand fighting New technology made WWI an impersonal war and deadlier  New Weapons Machine gun ○ Rapid-firing: 600 bullets per minute ○ Did not have to stop as often to reload ○ Could make a greater effect when grouped together

8. Impact? –Taking offensive and attacking head-on was now a disadvantage –Those that charged across open fields were mowed down –Eventually used on aircraft and warships –Flamethrower Not a new weapon, just improved during WWI Sprayed burning fuel on victims Effective in attacks on nearby trenches but could not be fired long distances

9. Heavy Artillery ○ “big guns” ○ Used to deliver poison gas or shells ○ Used to blast through barbed wire, knock out machine gun nests ○ Big Berthas- largest mobile guns ever used on the battlefield Helped Germany sweep through Belgium on the way to France Belgian forts crumbled ○ Inflicted half of all battle casualties in WWI

10. Trench Warfare ○ The introduction of new weapons made the old style of ground attack too dangerous Could no longer charge across an open field  would be killed instantly ○ New type of combat Dug trenches in the ground for protection New defensive war ○ No Man’s Land Area between the opposing trenches Barriers of barbed wire Crossing this area was usually lethal Any moving object was a target War ground to a stalemate because neither side could effectively cross No Man’s Land

12. Conditions in Trenches ○ Muddy, Rotting bodies, Overflowing latrines ○ Soldiers caught fevers or suffered painful foot infections called trench foot From standing in water and mud that pooled at the bottom of trenches ○ Lice, frogs, rats ○ Chemical weapons Toxic agents such as poison gas to kill or harm many people Both sides used this weapon Eventually created masks to protect troops from these attacks ○ Tanks Helped end the stalemate in the trenches Could drive tanks over barbed wire, up steep embankments, and across ditches to attack enemy trenches

14. Sky ○ Improvements to airplanes brought war to the sky Easier to fly and could travel further than before ○ Used to scout enemy territory ○ Eventually for fighting and bombing At first, pilots would lean out of the plane to shoot at enemy pilots with a pistol or drop bombs by hand Eventually- device that timed the firing of a machine gun with the rotation of a plane’s propeller Zepellins- gas-filled airships for scouting and for bombing raids

15. Sea ○ Battleships Largest and most heavily armored type of warship ○ U-Boats Armed submarines Went undetected until it was too late ○ Convoy System Reduced effectiveness of U-Boat attacks Allied warships protected merchant ships by escorting them across the Atlantic Ocean # of Allied losses decreased