American History World War I

In 1917 the United States army had less than 200,000 men and few supplies

 

The Wright Brothers invented the first motor-driven airplane in 1903. In 1908 the United States government signed a contract with the Wright Brothers to build a military airplane.

One of the first things Wilson did was to declare a draft for all men between 18 and 30 years of age. Congress thought this was fair.

In June 1917 ten million men signed up for the draft. By October more than three million men were in uniform. American industry began producing thousands of rifles. American soldiers called Doughboys arrived in France. They were called Doughboys because their steel helmets looked like pie plates. They sang songs like Over There, Pack Up Your Trouble in an Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile.

 

Women took the men's places in factories making war goods.   President Woodrow asked Wilson Herbert Hoover to head the United States Food Administration. Hoover helped start a campaign in which people at home helped support the war by using less and doing without. Slogans such as Wheatless Wednesdays and Meatless Mondays were heard through the United States.

The Navy was more prepared for war than the other branches of service. They were able to transport American troops to Europe. An American admiral developed a plan to protect troop ships by using a convoy. This is a group of  unarmed transport ships who all travel together guarded by fast warships.

The U.S. helped the armies of France and England win. By the Fall of 1918 Germany's partners in war had given up. Germany had to fight alone. Russia left the war in 1917 when the Russian Revolution began. On November 11, 1918 an agreement was signed called an armistice. This meant the fighting would stop.