What were the costs of the war?

Americans in Battle Chapter 24, Section 3

• What setbacks did the Allies suffer in 1917 and early 1918? • How did the American Expeditionary Force help the Allies win the war? • What were the costs of the war?

Allied Setbacks in 1917 and 1918 Chapter 24, Section 3

By the time American troops reached France in June 1917, the Allies had lost millions of soldiers, the troops in the trenches were exhausted and ill, and civilians in Britain and France were near starvation. One of the Allies, Russia, withdraws from the war. In March of 1917 the Russian Emperor abdicated. A provisional government was formed that continued to fight in the war.  In November of 1917 the Bolsheviks staged a communist revolution in Russia. The Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir I. Lenin. •Lenin opposed the war. He argued that it benefited only the ruling class. In December Russia and Germany agreed to an armistice. •Lenin opened peace talks with Germany. In March 1918, Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ending Russia’s participation in the war. •The treaty called for Russia to give up large amounts of land to Germany, but the communists welcomed peace. Now, they could concentrate on their revolution. •The Allies felt betrayed. 

Allied Setbacks in 1917 and 1918 Chapter 24, Section 3

In early 1918, the Germans prepared a “peace offensive.” They hoped this would be the final offensive that would end the war before the American troops joined the battle. • Germany mobilized for an all-out attack. Marching toward Paris, dozens of German divisions lined up against a small British force. The British forces held. • After two weeks, the Germans continued their offensive elsewhere. By late May, they had smashed through Allied lines along the Aisne River. On May 30, they reached the Marne River. Paris was only 50 miles away.

The American Expeditionary Force Chapter 24, Section 3

By June 1918, large numbers of American troops were reaching France. Commanding the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was General John J. Pershing. Pershing insisted that American troops operate as separate units, not as reinforcements in European units.

Harlem Hell Fighters

The Battle at Belleau Wood

The 369th U.S. Infantry was an African American unit known as the Harlem Hell Fighters. It was among the first American units to arrive in France and fought along side the French Army. The unit spent more time under fire than any other American unit earning France's honor for bravery the Croix de Guerre. In June 1918, as the Germans marched toward Paris, Americans experienced their first major battle, the Battle of Belleau Wood. The Americans met the Germans just outside Paris. The French told the Americans to dig trenches to fall back to. American Gen. Harbord told them “We dig no trenches. The marines will hold where they stand.” The Americans suffered great casualties, but at last, on June 25, they were able to announce: “Wood now exclusively U.S. Marine Corps.”

The American Expeditionary Force Chapter 24, Section 3

The Battle of the Argonne Forest

In mid-July, the Germans again drove toward Paris. The Allied commander, French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, ordered counterattacks along a line from Verdun to the North Sea. More than one million Americans pushed into the Argonne Forest. After 47 days of battle, the Americans broke through the German defenses.

Other battles

British, French, and Belgian forces also smashed through the German lines. By November, German forces were in retreat.

Armistice

• In September, German generals told the kaiser that the war was lost. The German government scrambled to arrange an armistice, or agreement to stop fighting. • President Wilson set two conditions for an armistice: Germany must accept his peace plan and the German emperor must abdicate, or give up his power. • At 11:00 on November 11, 1918, World War I came to an end.

The War in Western Europe Chapter 24, Section 3

The Costs of War Chapter 24, Section 3

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A generation of young Europeans lost their lives. Between 8 million and 9 million people died in battle. Almost 4 million Russian, French, and British soldiers were killed. Germany lost close to 2 million men. The United States lost over 100,000. More soldiers died from disease (often developing from wounds) than in combat.

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No one knows how many civilians died of disease, starvation, and other war-related causes. Civilian loss of life may have been as great as military loss of life. Much of Europe lay in ruins, especially in France and Germany. Many children were left orphaned and homeless. In 1918, a new disaster struck. A terrible influenza epidemic spread around the globe. An epidemic is the rapid spread of a contagious disease among large numbers of people. More than half a million Americans died in the flu epidemic. In other countries, the toll was higher. In all, more than 30 million people died worldwide.

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Section 3 Assessment Chapter 24, Section 3

With the “Peace Offensive” and other drives, German forces aimed to take the city of a) Harlem. b) Paris. c) Belleau Wood. d) Brest-Litovsk. An armistice is a) a supply of weapons. b) the rapid spread of a contagious disease. c) a communist revolution. d) an agreement to stop fighting.

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Section 3 Assessment Chapter 24, Section 3

With the “Peace Offensive” and other drives, German forces aimed to take the city of a) Harlem. b) Paris. c) Belleau Wood. d) Brest-Litovsk. An armistice is a) a supply of weapons. b) the rapid spread of a contagious disease. c) a communist revolution. d) an agreement to stop fighting.

Want to connect to the American History link for this section? Click here.