Chapter 19 Section 3 Chapter 19 Section 3 Americans on the Americans on the European FrontEuropean Front

Draftees and Volunteers Draftees and Volunteers Selective Service ActSelective Service Act- May - May

1917 authorizing a draft of 1917 authorizing a draft of young men for military young men for military serviceservice

American Expeditionary American Expeditionary ForceForce (AEF) - November (AEF) - November 1918 24 million men were 1918 24 million men were signed up for the draft 3 signed up for the draft 3 million men were picked for million men were picked for the draft volunteers and the draft volunteers and National Guardsmen made National Guardsmen made this upthis up

11,00011,000 women volunteered women volunteered to serve as nurses, drivers to serve as nurses, drivers and clerksand clerks

14,000_14,000_ women served women served abroad as civilians working abroad as civilians working for the government or private for the government or private agenciesagencies

Training for WarTraining for War In In SeptemberSeptember draftees went draftees went

to basic to learn how to to basic to learn how to bayonet a rifle, dig a trench, bayonet a rifle, dig a trench, put on a gas mask and throw put on a gas mask and throw a grenade.a grenade.

They learned They learned German German CrimesCrimes and strategies of and strategies of Trench WarfareTrench Warfare

They did They did notnot receive much receive much training because America training because America tried to get soldiers into tried to get soldiers into FranceFrance

The Convoy SystemThe Convoy System May 1917 all merchant May 1917 all merchant

and troop ships traveled and troop ships traveled in in ConvoyConvoy

ConvoyConvoy group of group of unarmed ships unarmed ships surrounded by a ring of surrounded by a ring of destroyers, torpedo boats destroyers, torpedo boats and other armed naval and other armed naval vessels equipped with vessels equipped with hydrophones to track and hydrophones to track and destroy submarinesdestroy submarines

Between April and Between April and December 1917 December 1917 merchant marine losses merchant marine losses dropped by dropped by halfhalf

Successful Successful U-boatsU-boats did did not sink a single U.S. not sink a single U.S. troopship traveling to troopship traveling to EuropeEurope

American Soldiers in EuropeAmerican Soldiers in Europe AEF arrived in France in AEF arrived in France in June 1917June 1917 Perishing viewPerishing view- Allies became too accustomed to defensive - Allies became too accustomed to defensive

action; he wanted to save his men’s strength for offensive action; he wanted to save his men’s strength for offensive movesmoves

American soldiersAmerican soldiers brought strength, good health, and brought strength, good health, and energy to the trenchesenergy to the trenches

They were called They were called Dough boysDough boys 300,000 300,000 African AmericansAfrican Americans fought in segregated units but fought in segregated units but

most never saw action most never saw action MarinesMarines did not take African Americans, the did not take African Americans, the navynavy used used

them as menial tasks only and the them as menial tasks only and the armyarmy used them for used them for manual labormanual labor

369th Infantry known as the 369th Infantry known as the Harlem Hell FightersHarlem Hell Fighters persuaded white officers to loan them to the French, they persuaded white officers to loan them to the French, they revived France’s highest combat medal, the Croix de revived France’s highest combat medal, the Croix de GuerreGuerre

Turning the Tide of the Turning the Tide of the War War

After Russia withdrew After Russia withdrew from the war Germany from the war Germany concentrated all of their concentrated all of their forces on the forces on the Western Western FrontFront

March 21, 1918March 21, 1918 Germany Germany attacked British lines and attacked British lines and advanced deep into Allied advanced deep into Allied territoryterritory

By May they were only By May they were only about 50 miles from Parisabout 50 miles from Paris

Americans Save ParisAmericans Save Paris General PershingGeneral Pershing dispatched dispatched

troops to the fronttroops to the front American troops attacked and American troops attacked and

recaptured the village of recaptured the village of CantignyCantigny on May 28on May 28

A week later Marine’s stopped A week later Marine’s stopped German attacks on German attacks on Belleau WoodBelleau Wood and Château-Thierry and Château-Thierry

Lost half the troops but saved ParisLost half the troops but saved Paris Mid July Mid July GermansGermans launched a launched a

massive attack on French positions massive attack on French positions at the River of the at the River of the MarneMarne 28,000 28,000 Americans helped force the Americans helped force the Germans to the other side of the Germans to the other side of the river into retreat.river into retreat.

Ended German hopes for Ended German hopes for victoryvictory

Allied Counter attackAllied Counter attack 250,000250,000 Americans were arriving Americans were arriving

in Europe every monthin Europe every month The The tank tank allowed soldiers to cross allowed soldiers to cross

into No Mans Land this caused a into No Mans Land this caused a break in German linesbreak in German lines

August 8 August 8 the battle of Amiens the battle of Amiens allied armies stopped the German allied armies stopped the German advance in the north and advance in the north and recaptured German gains from the recaptured German gains from the pervious yearpervious year

General von Ludendorff General von Ludendorff advised advised Kaiser Wilhelm to seek peace Kaiser Wilhelm to seek peace settlementssettlements

SeptembSeptember troops hit final German er troops hit final German strongholdsstrongholds

St. Mihiel was the first all St. Mihiel was the first all American battle; this was American battle; this was successfulsuccessful

September 26, 1918 the final September 26, 1918 the final allied assault allied assault Meuse-Argonne Meuse-Argonne Offensive Offensive caused Germany to go caused Germany to go into a full retreat from the Argonne into a full retreat from the Argonne Forest and the region of the Forest and the region of the Meuse RiverMeuse River

War in the AirWar in the Air AirplanesAirplanes were used in were used in

war; they were wooden, war; they were wooden, covered in cloth and had covered in cloth and had an open cock pitan open cock pit

Air battles were fought Air battles were fought with with pistolspistols and later with and later with machine guns machine guns

Zeppelins Zeppelins floating airships floating airships and German bombers and German bombers launched more then 100 launched more then 100 raids on London killing raids on London killing 1,500 civilians1,500 civilians

Ending the WarEnding the War The The Central Powers Central Powers Broke Broke

downdown Bulgaria and the Bulgaria and the Ottoman Ottoman

Empire Empire made peace treaties made peace treaties with the Allieswith the Allies

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary splintered in splintered in October as Poles, October as Poles, Hungarians, Czechs and Hungarians, Czechs and Slovaks declared Slovaks declared independenceindependence

Germany begged for peace Germany begged for peace when fighting was brought on when fighting was brought on GermanGerman soil soil

British Navy dominated the British Navy dominated the seasea

November 10 Kaiser fled to November 10 Kaiser fled to Holland Holland

A civilian representative of the A civilian representative of the New German Republic New German Republic signed signed an Armistice or cease firean Armistice or cease fire

In a French Railroad car at In a French Railroad car at 5:00 A.M. November 11, 1918 5:00 A.M. November 11, 1918 it was signed six hours later it was signed six hours later guns fell guns fell silentsilent