Preparing For War Chapter 19 Sec1on 3 Americans on the European Front Congress sent the Allies naval support, supplies, and $3 billion in loans. The U.S. sent 14,500 troops led by General John J. Pershing to Europe. AKer landing in France, Pershing recommended that the army number 1 million men by 1918 and 3 million by 1919. Dra.ees and Volunteers Congress passed a Selec1ve Service Act in May 1917, authorizing a drak of young men for military service. By November 1918, more than 24 million men had registered for the drak. A losery picked 3 million to serve in the army. U.S. troops became known as the American Expedi1onary Forces. 11,000 women volunteered to serve as nurses, drivers, and clerks. Training For War DraKees arrived at training camps around the country to learn how to use a bayonet and a rifle, dig a trench, put on a gas mask, and throw a grenade. Soldiers were supposed to get several months of training, but this 1me was oken cut short. The Convoy System In April of 1917, U boats had sunk more than 400 Allied and neutral ships. Star1ng in May 1917, all merchant ships and troop ships travelled in a convoy consis1ng of unarmed ships surrounded by a ring of destroyers, torpedoes, and ships equipped with hydrophones. The convoy was successful in carrying U.S. troops to Europe as no U.S. ships were sunk. 1
Who was the leader of the American troops in Europe? How many troops were needed for the Americans to help win the war? How many registered for the drak? What things were soldiers taught at training camps? What was the convoy system? American Soldiers in Europe Pershing kept the U.S. troops independent of the Allies. Members of the AEF were called Doughboys. Turning the Tide The 300,000 African Americans that volunteered or were draked served in segregated units. Most never saw ac1on or were given menial tasks. The 369 th Infantry (Harlem Hell Fighters) were loaned to the French army. In November 1917, Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin overthrew Russia s republican government. Lenin had been living in Switzerland and had promised to make peace with Germany if he gained control. He signed a truce with Germany in December and a peace treaty on March 3, 1918. Germany gained land in western Russia, including the country s industry and richest farmland. Germany was now able to send hundreds of thousands of troops to the west before the U.S. arrived. Germany asacked Bri1sh forces on March 21, 1918, breaking through the trenches and advancing deep into Allied territory. Germany pounded the French and Bri1sh lines un1l it had advanced to within 50 miles of Paris. 2
What were American soldiers referred to during WWI? What role did African Americans play in WWI? Who took over control of Russia in 1917? Why was this important? How did the war change aker Russia was no longer involved? Americans Save Paris General Pershing sent American troops to turn back the Germans. They captured Can1gny on May 28 and stopped German asacks at Belleau Woods and Chateau Thierry. Allied CounteraAack In mid July, the Germans launched a massive asack on French posi1ons on the river Marne. The French, joined by 28,000 Americans, forced the Germans across the river and into retreat. Using a new weapon, the tank, the Allies began to break the German lines. On August 8, the Allies stopped the German advance at the basle of Amiens. In September, 500,000 Americans and 100,000 French began to hit the final German strongholds. War in the Air The Americans defeated the Germans at the basle of St. Mihiel. The final Allied assault, the Meuse Argonne, began on September 26, 1918, forcing the Germans to retreat. World War I planes were built from wooden frames covered with cloth. The pilot and co pilot sat in an open air cockpit. AircraK were first used to scout enemy posi1ons, but later were involved in dogfights with pistols and machine guns. 3
Ending the War The American ace was Eddie Rickenbacker, who downed 26 enemy fighters. Pilots also shot down hot air balloons used for observa1on. German zeppelins and bombers launched more than 100 raids on London, killing 1500 civilians. Bulgaria and the OSoman Empire made a separate peace with the Allies in autumn. Austria Hungary splintered in October as Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks, declared independence. In October, the German navy ordered the German fleet to leave port and confront the Bri1sh. On October 29, the German sailors at Kiel mu1nied. The mu1ny spread to other ports as well as factories and ci1es, forcing the generals to bring the war to an end. By November 10, the Kaiser had fled Holland. A civilian representa1ve of the new German republic signed an armis1ce in a French railroad car at 5:00 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. How were the American troops able to save Paris from the Germans? What role did aircrak play in WWI? What happened when the German navy was ordered to asack the Bri1sh? How did World War I end? The Influenza Epidemic Americans going to basle brought with them a new influenza virus. The virus swept across the western front in June, disabling 50,000 German troops. It s second and third waves were even deadlier. 4
Results of the War The virus spread quickly in unsanitary placed like military camps and ci1es. In under a year, more American soldiers died from influenza than basle. Over a half million Americans and 30 million people worldwide died from the disease. About 50,000 Americans died in basle. The total death toll was 8 million soldiers and sailors, an average of 5,000 soldiers a day for each day of the war. BaSles were also fought in the Middle East Africa. In every country, the sick and wounded outnumbered the dead. Doctors amputated feet infected with trench foot ; many were permanently blinded or had las1ng lung disease from poison gases. Millions of civilians also died from the war. Hundreds of thousands of Armenian civilians were deported or killed by the OSomans. hsp://player.discoveryeduca1on.com/index.cfm? guidassetid=a6cd02d5 3E71 4EE4 96A5 36E938C1F2B1&blnFromSearch= 1&productcode=US hsp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/games.shtml How did the influenza arrive in Europe? In what areas did the influenza virus spread quickly? How many people died from the influenza? How many Americans were killed during WWI? How many were killed overall during the war? What happened to the Armenians? 5