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1

TheAEFintheGreatWar

Crea0nganArmy

•  Selec0veServiceAct

•  TheRegularArmy

•  TheNa0onalGuard

•  TheNa0onalArmy

TraininganArmy

•  BasictrainingintheUnitedStates– Lackofequipmentmaderealis0ctrainingintheUnitedStates

– Woodenriflescommonsights

– Emphasisplacedondiscipline,physicalfitness,basicskills

TraininganArmy

•  CombattraininginFrance– MuchwasdoneunderthesupervisionofofficersandNCO’softheBataillonChasseursdeAlpin

–  Trenchesbuiltinrearareassotrainingcouldberealis0c

– Weaponstraining–grenades,trenchmortars,machineguns,gas

–  Tac0cs–trenchraids,wiringpar0es,etc– Housekeepinginthetrenches–  Pershinginsistedontraininginopenordertac0csaswell–fireandmovement.

ArrivinginFrance

•  ServicesofSupply–  Improvingportfacili0es

– Storagefacili0es– Trainingcamps– Transporta0onnetworks– Rehabilita0ngtrainenginesandrollingstock– Rehabilita0ngequipment– BuyinghorsesinFrance

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2

TheAmalgama0onControversy

•  TheBri0shandFrenchwantmanpower– BelieveitwouldbefastertoincorporateAmericanSoldiersasindividualreplacementsorbyhavingAmericanregimentsfightaspartofallieddivisions

– TherewouldbenoAmericanArmy– Pershinginsistsontakingthe0metocreateanAmericanArmy.

– Thiscontroversyisaresultofbothpoli0csandmutualdistrustoftheothersidespolicies

WheretoFight?

•  Pershingplanstotakeoverasec0onofthelinecenteredontheFrenchFortressofVerdunrunningfromtheSt.MihielSalienttotheArgonneForest.

•  Thisisdictatedbytwofactors1.  Railnetworksconnec0ngittotheBiscayports2.  Anoffensivefromthisregioncouldcapturethe

GermanFortressofMetzandthreatenlateralcommunica0onsbehindGermanlines

TheGermanSummerOffensive‐1918

•  WhenRussialeavesthewar,theGermanarmyplansamassiveoffensiveinthewest– Thefirsta\acksareverysuccessful,andpushtowithinlongar0lleryrangeofParis

•  BritainandFranceaskPershingforreinforcements

•  USDivisionsplayanimportantroleinstoppingandturningbacktheGermana\acks– ChateauThierry,Soisson,BelleauWood,Can0gny

"Comeon,you*$%#@!,doyouwanttoliveforever?GunnerySergeantDanDaly,73rdMachineGuncompany

Ba:leofBelleauWood

Retreat?Hell,wejustgothere.‐CaptainLloydW.Williams2/5MarinesBa:leofBelleauWood

US3rdDivision“TheRockofthe

Marne”

“General, these are American regulars. In a hundred and fifty years they have never been beaten. They will hold.” Colonel Preston Brown Executive Officer, US 2nd Division Battle of Chateau Thierry

St.Mihiel–theAEF’s1stOffensive

•  Germanshadheldsalientsince1914•  PershingwantedtocleartheeastbankoftheMeusetoprepareforanoffensiveagainstMetz

•  Germanarmywaspreparedtoabandonthesalientifa\acked

•  TheAEFa\ackquicklyeliminatedthesalient,butmostoftheGermanforcesescaped

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TheMeuse‐Argonne

•  Germanfrontcollapseunderallieda\ack•  BritainandFrancewantsAEFtoa\acktothenorthratherthaneasttoshieldtheirflank

•  PershinggrudginglyagreesandthenewtargetbecomestherailnetworkatSedan

•  Thismeansa\ackingthroughtheruggedArgonneForest