Description

When the USA entered World War I in April 1917 her Regular Army counted just 128,000 men and lacked all the necessary equipment and training for modern trench warfare.

By the Armistice of November 1918, General John J. Pershing's American Expeditionary Force in France had more than 2 million men and was holding 25 per cent of the Western Front. They had helped smash Ludendorff's brilliant Operation "Michael" in the lines before Paris; had turned onto the offensive themselves at St Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne; and if Germany had not negotiated peace with unexpected speed the US Army would have taken over from their tired Allies an even greater share of the planned 1919 campaign.

This concise account of America's first world class army, its organization, uniforms, weapons and character, is illustrated with rare photos and eight full color plates.

Table of Contents

The US Army in 1914
1916: the National Defense Act - expansion of the regular forces
1917: mobilisation of the National Guard
1917: the Selective Service Law - conscription
The American Expeditionary Force - from 'triangular' to 'square' unit structure - divisional organisation - command
Campaign summary
Post-Armistice operations
Uniforms & insignia
Equipment
Weapons

Product details

Published 20 Aug 2012
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Extent 48
ISBN 9781782002345
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 43 b/w; 8 col
Series Men-at-Arms
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Mark Henry

Mark R. Henry is a lifelong student of military hi…

Illustrator

Stephen Walsh

Stephen Walsh studied art at the North East Wales…

Resources

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