American Troops Land in France (WWII)
The landing of American troops in France during World War I marked a significant turning point in the conflict. Following the U.S. declaration of war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the first units of the United States First Infantry Division arrived in France on June 26, 1917. Initially, the U.S. military was small, with only 200,000 personnel; however, mobilization efforts soon accelerated. The Selective Service Act, approved on May 18, 1917, led to over nine million men registering for the draft, and extensive training camps were established to prepare nearly four million soldiers for service. General John J. Pershing led the American Expeditionary Force, which primarily maintained an independent role within the Allied operations. By the war's conclusion on November 11, 1918, more than two million American soldiers had been deployed to France, with about 1.4 million experiencing combat. Their involvement was crucial in securing victories at key battles such as Belleau Wood and Meuse-Argonne, significantly impacting the war's outcome.
American Troops Land in France (WWII)
American Troops Land in France
The United States Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. Less than three months later, on June 26, 1917, several units of the United States First Infantry Division disembarked in France. Several more months elapsed before the country mobilized sufficient military strength to influence the outcome of the war.
The United States Army numbered only 200,000 enlisted men and officers in April 1917. However, the nation acted quickly to meet the urgent need for additional troops. On May 18, 1917, Congress approved the Selective Service Act, and in less than a month more than nine million American men between the ages of 21 and 30 had registered for the draft. To train the new recruits and inductees, 32 camps and other facilities were built. By the end of the war these installations had prepared nearly four million men, only about half of whom were draftees, for service in the army.
General John J. Pershing, who landed in France on June 14, 1917, commanded the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). “Lafayette, we are here,” the statement often attributed to Pershing, was actually made on July 4 at the tomb of Lafayette by Colonel Charles E. Stanton, chief disbursing officer of the AEF. According to Pershing's orders, American troops were to remain “a distinct and separate component of the combined [Allied] force.” The exigencies of war at times necessitated abandoning this plan. However, for the most part the army did maintain an independent role, subject after April 1918 to the supreme Allied commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France.
By the time that the fighting ended on November 11, 1918, more than two million American soldiers had landed in France. Of these, approximately 1.4 million saw combat. Their presence decisively influenced the outcome of the war. They gave the Allies numerical superiority on the western front and contributed to such significant victories as Belleau Wood, Saint-Mihiel, and Meuse -Argonne.