World War One

Situation on the Eve of hostilities

• British being starved by German U-Boats

• Feared they would be out of war by Oct 1917.

American Navy

• American navy was in a position to help Allies• Admiral William Sims convinced British to try

new system—Convoy system– Destroyers and other small anti-submarine vessels

escorted merchant ships across the Atlantic• Not a perfect system but reduced the crisis• Second ½ of 1917—great reduction in ship

losses.• The US also embarked on a massive

shipbuilding program. – Build ships faster than Germans could sink them.

Army

• Less prepared to make an immediate contribution.

• Force of 210,000 men with 97,000 National Guardsmen in federal service.

• Little or no equipment.• Want to make symbolic gesture of support to

Allies-send a Division over immediately– Scrap together forces to create-1st Infantry Division– Would take months in Europe to prepare them for

combat

John Pershing

• Wilson selects Pershing to lead American forces in Europe– Combat experience in Mexico– Controversial choice

• Junior to 5 other officers

• Sent immediately to Europe to assess the situation and set up headquarters.

How big a force?

• Initial estimates 1 million man force– 1 full field army—20 divisions strong with support

personal

• Pershing would consistently increase these figures until they reached 100 divisions strong.

• A force of this size over 3 million men would have greatly taxed the American economy.

• Eventually 62 divisions would be formed with 43 going overseas.

American Divisions

• American army had oversized divisions-almost 28,000 men– Double the size of Allied or German divisions– Pershing wanted a forced large enough to

have striking AND staying power on the attack.

– Ability to overwhelm enemy

Mobilization of Industry

• To meet the needs of forces, military needed to coordinate activities with civilian industry

• Massive contracts to supply all needs of modern military force operating overseas.

• American industry unable to meet many of the needs in a prompt way

• Army forced to use materials supplied by Allies• Not until the end of the war did American

industry start to meet quotas.

Officers Corps

• Military decided to go in a new direction– In past officers selected based on status and

political connections

• Test all inductees for mental aptitude– Culturally biased– Drew conclusion that most troops were idiots

• Officer Training Schools

Americans in Combat

• 1st Division put into action in October 1917

• Did a rotation with French units before committed to a “Quiet Section” of the front

Pressure from Allies

• Quickly realized that it would take a long time before American forces would be ready to assume unit role.

• Wanted Americans fed into British and French units as replacements.– Believed request was logical– Possessed leadership, artillery, tanks and

aviation but lacked manpower

• Americans insisted on a separate force

German Offensive

• Germans moved large numbers of troops from Russian front to Europe.

• Launch 5 major massive offensives against British forces– Advanced over 40 miles– Take 70,000 prisoners, 200,000 casualties

• Bogs down– Loot British trenches for food—slows advance– Fails to destroy British Army, loss of elite troops

American forces grow

• By July 4, 1918, one million American have arrived in France

• 250,000 troops arriving in Europe each month.

• Begin to tip the scale

• Ready to launch offensive.

St. Mihiel

• September 1918• 1st major offensive--good test

– Europeans had doubts—inexperienced officers

• American able to seize territories quickly with few casualties

• Important for morale– Could run an independent operation– Staff planning, skilled officers, good troops

Air War

• War creates major building program– Produces 1,200 aircraft– Most use French-made planes

• William Mitchell—Head of Air Corps• 94th Squadron-1st unit in action

– Eddie Rickenbacher—26 kills– Used in Meuse-Argonne offensive

• Ground support• Bombing raids

• Mitchell envisioned a very different future