FIGHTING IN THE WAR SWBAT: Homework: Do Now:

AMERICA MOBILIZES  The U.S. was NOT prepared for war.  To meet the needs for more soldiers, Congress passed the Selective Service Act.  Required men to register w/the gov’t to be selected randomly for service.  In all this totaled 24 million men.  By the end of the war, 3 million men were called up for service.  2 million were in Europe by the war’s end ¾ of which saw combat.

CONVOY SYSTEM  German U-boats were a serious threat to shipping soldiers and war materials over the Atlantic.  A navy admiral devised the convoy system:  When a heavy guard of destroyers escorted merchant ships across the Atlantic.  Cut losses in half over a year.

WHO WERE THESE SOLDIERS?  1 in 5 were foreign born.  400,000 were African Americans  ½ served in segregated combat units.  ½ served in non-combat roles (cooked, did laundry, etc.)  None were allowed in the navy or marines.  13,000 women accepted non- combat positions  Served as nurses, secretaries, and phone operators.

FIGHTING IN EUROPE  By the time the U.S. entered the war, Allied troops had been fighting for 2.5 years.  Many felt exhausted and demoralized.  American soldier’s freshness and optimism helped raise morale

PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS: SOLDIER’S EXPERIENCES IN THE TRENCHES

REALITIES OF WAR  Trench warfare occurred when a revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility.  Both sides quickly recognized that assaults against the enemy trenches were suicide if begun in broad daylight, so attacks tended to take place just before dawn or right at dawn.  Conditions: unsanitary.

No man’s land: the territory between the opposing front trenches. Whenever possible, both sides filled this land with barbed wire to slow down any rapid advances by the enemy. The machine gun and the new long- range rifles made movement in this area almost impossible.

EXIT SLIP  Use five words to describe trench warfare during WWI