Unit 14 Lesson 2: Americans in the Trenches

Question 1

By March 1918, the Germans had won in the eastern theater, between Russia and Austria-Hungary, and were quickly moving toward Allied lines. This lead the French and the rtisish to ask the United States President Woodrow Wilson to do what

Answer 1

In response, the French and British asked United States President Woodrow Wilson to skip extensive training for U.S. troops and instead send them to the Western Front immediately.

Question 2

Who is General John J. Pershing and what was the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

Answer 2

Wilson deployed American troops and designated General John J. Pershing as commander. The American army that fought in France under Pershing’s command was called the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

Question 3

Who were Doughboys

Answer 3

Doughboys were soldiers in part of the American Expeditionary Forces under the command of General John J. Pershing. Doughboys came from a wide range of backgrounds

Question 4

What do all doughboys have in common

Answer 4

their uniform. It was composed of socks, long underwear, a shirt, breeches (short pants that buckle beneath the knees), and a tunic (a long undershirt) made of wool or cotton.

Question 5

What are the features of Doughboy uniforms

Answer 5

• hat: old style of a “Montana peak” changed to the smaller cloth cap and the harder, safer helmet when in battle
• puttees: wool wraps worn over pants to give extra protection in the mud
• pack: contained food rations, tools, extra socks and long underwear, and many other items; typically weighed more than 50 pounds
• belt: held a canteen, ammunition, a cup, and a first aid kit
• letters: doughboys sent letters, carried notes of well-wishes from home
• coat: lighter coat in summer; heavier wool trench coat in harsh winter conditions

Question 6

Advanced weaponry and new combat strategies made the war challenging and complex. What were somenew thing in the naval area

Answer 6

New naval strategies involved the use of battleships and submarines. The German U-boat, a type of submarine, became infamous for unpredictable attacks known as unrestricted submarine warfare.

Question 7

Advanced weaponry and new combat strategies made the war challenging and complex. What were somenew thing in the sky area

Answer 7

Airplanes were used to observe enemy troops and were eventually outfitted with weapons to carry out attacks.

Question 8

Advanced weaponry and new combat strategies made the war challenging and complex. What were some new thing on the ground

Answer 8

On the ground, armies used large machine guns, tanks, and deadly poison gas attacks.

Question 9

Many decisive battles were fought on the Western Front. What is the Western Front

Answer 9

Many decisive battles were fought on the Western Front, a 400-plus-mile stretch of land through France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the North Sea.

Question 10

Troops engaged in trench warfare. What is trench warfare

Answer 10

a strategy designed to protect soldiers and delay enemy advances. Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground and protected by barbed-wire entanglements.

Question 11

What did a trench warfare look like

Answer 11

Opposing forces attacked and counterattacked from a distance. This strategy differed from previous European conflicts in which troops had typically faced each other on open battlefields.

Question 12

What was life inside the Trenches like

Answer 12

Life in the trenches was demanding. Soldiers had to cope with filthy conditions, hunger, and disease while having to remain alert to enemy attacks. Harsh weather made trench life even more challenging.

Question 13

What was the goal of trecnhes

Answer 13

. The goal was for soldiers to be able to safely stand and engage in battle within the trenches. Sandbags were used to bolster the walls and add extra protection against flying ammunition. If the ground was too hard, or if there wasn’t time to dig deep, soldiers had to adapt.

Question 14

What was the “no-man’s land”?

Answer 14

The “no-man’s land” was the space between enemy trenches. It was filled with barbed wire and mines to dissuade enemy soldiers from crossing it.

Question 15

What challenges did soldiers in the trenches face?

Answer 15

Soldiers in the trenches faced many challenges, including rat infestations, the spread of disease, cold, wet living conditions, and the threat of poisonous gas attacks.

Question 16

How did soldiers in the trenches spend their time when they were not sleeping or fighting?

Answer 16

Soldiers were responsible for digging and maintaining the trenches when they were not otherwise occupied. Soldiers in the trenches also wrote letters, cleaned their weapons, and played cards in their free time.

Question 17

World War I brought about new opportunities for many Americans. How so

Answer 17

Young men of many ethnic minorities were recruited and served overseas. Because of social norms of the time, most minority military personnel served in segregated or partially segregated divisions.

Question 18

Who were the Harlem Hellfighters

Answer 18

. The Harlem Hellfighters, an infantry regiment of African American soldiers, served in France for six months. Many Asian American and Hispanic American soldiers served abroad even though some were not naturalized citizens of the United States.

Question 19

Many Asian American and Hispanic American soldiers served abroad even though some were not naturalized citizens of the United States. How did this change

Answer 19

After the war, several thousand minority veterans were allowed to become naturalized citizens.

Question 20

How many native americans served in the war

Answer 20

More than 12,000 Native Americans served in the U.S. Army during the war.

Question 21

American women took on new roles and assisted in the war effort both at home and abroad. Elaborate

Answer 21

Many women served overseas as nurses in the military and war relief organizations. A small group of women served as bilingual telephone switchboard operators in France.

Question 22

What sorts of jobs did African American soldiers do?

Answer 22

African Americans served in cavalry, infantry, signal, medical, engineer, and artillery units. They also served as chaplains, surveyors, truck drivers, chemists, and intelligence officers.

Question 23

Who were the “code talkers”?

Answer 23

The “code talkers” were Native American soldiers who transmitted secret army messages in their native languages over radio, telephone, and telegraph lines.

Question 24

How did American women assist with the war effort in Europe?

Answer 24

Many American women served as army nurses with humanitarian organizations like the American Red Cross. Some women served in U.S. Army Signal Corps as translators and telephone switchboard operators in France.

Question 25

How were the experiences of women, African American, Asian American, Native American, and Hispanic soldiers similar?

Answer 25

African American, Asian American, Native American, and Hispanic American soldiers experienced discrimination in the U.S. military, and most completed their military training and service within segregated units. These groups were typically limited to auxiliary roles that did not involve battles in the trenches, with the exception of African American soldiers in the 92nd and 93rd Divisions. American women also served overseas in supporting jobs, as opposed to combat roles. Some individuals in these diverse groups received official or unofficial recognition for their service.