Americans On The European Front

The United States Slowly Gets Involved

• The U.S. at first wanted to be and associate in the war– Naval support– Supplies– Arms– No troops– Allies insist that U.S. send troops

The United States Slowly Gets Involved

• 1917 U.S. sends John J. “Black Jack” Pershing with 14,500 men (This is not enough)

• Congress passes the Selective Service Act• AEF – American Expeditionary Force

– Draftees, national guardsmen and volunteers make up the AEF

– AEF also included women• Worked as nurses, drivers, clerks and telephone operators

• Also worked for government and private agencies tied to the war effort

How To Move Men and Supplies

• Convoy system– Use quick destroyers to escort ships to Europe– Destroyers were fast enough to mount a counter

attack on U-boats

American Soldiers in Europe

• Discrimination– Separation between the American troops and

allied troops– Black Troops were separated from white troops

American Soldiers in Europe

• Since Russia is out of the war Germans are fighting a one front war

• Americans help stop Germans from taking Paris – This turns the tide of the war

American Soldiers in Europe

• Allied counterattack– July 1918 allied counter offensive starts– August 8, 1918, Battle of Amiens, the allies

stop German advance for good

Armistice

• September 26, 1918– Allies push Germany out of France – Allies cut German supply lines

• November 11, 1918, armistice or a cease-fire was established

The War’s Toll

• 50,000 Americans die in battle and more from disease

• 1 million French soldiers die

• 4,000 French towns destroyed

• 900,000 British soldiers die

• 20 million European civilians die

• Many more wounded