Chapter 23

Selective Service Act

• was when men were required to sign up for military service it was used to increase the size of the army necessary to fight the war.

American Expeditionary Force

• was the United States Army forces that went to Europe to fight World War I and it represented a tipping of the balance of power.

369th Regiment

• was an all black and Puerto Rican Regiment that fought in. WWI and demonstrated that black soldiers were as capable as whites.

Convoy system

• was a method of transporting merchant ships across the Atlantic. It was implemented to avoid the U boats and was based on the idea that ships are more secure in groups.

Muese Argone Offensive

• was the final offensive of the allied forces that represented a push along the entire Western Front and caused the Germen surrender.

1

• The United States had a volunteer army of 200,000. The government instituted a military draft in May 1917, and propaganda encouraged men to comply. Nearly 10 million young men registered for the draft. Within months, officers around the country were training 500,000 draftees. By June 1917 the first American troops landed in France.

2

• General Pershing did not want American troops to be used as replacements for wounded or dead Allied soldiers. Instead, he insisted that American soldiers remain under American command. He disagreed with the defensive strategy of the allies and advocated for more forceful tactics. Also Wilson and Pershing believed they would get a greater role in the Peace process if the forces remained separate.

3

• The introduction of rapid fire machine guns, long range big guns, and lighter rifles made the old style of ground attack too dangerous. Soldiers could no longer charge across the open field. The result was trench warfare which caused the need for new weapons. The tank, poison gas, and heavy artillery were introduced to attack the enemy in their trenches without large casualties. Because machine guns were heavy to carry both sides mounted them on planes and ships. Planes were used to scout the enemy, naval ships were large and armored leading to submarines and mines.

4

• American forces arrived in rapid rate and joined the French and British forces on a counter attack as the Germans threatened Paris. When the Germans retreated the allies pushed forward. They broke through German line to reach the Sedan railroad, which was the German’s main line of supply and communication.

5

• More than 8 million soldiers died, and another 21 million were injured. Millions of civilians died from starvation, disease, and other war related causes. Farms, land homes, factories and many other parts of the infrastructure were destroyed. There were many emotional costs with the war including a disillusioned population who saw the horrors of war.