April 6, 1918, marked the first anniversary of the participation of the
United States in the European War. The period was primarily one of
preparation. If America did little actual fighting in the first year, it
nevertheless achieved a great deal both in strengthening the cause of
the Allies and in getting ready to play its own part on the battlefields
of Europe. The increase in the war strength of the army is shown in the
following figures:
APRIL, 1917
Officers. Men.
Regulars 5,791 121,797
National Guard 3,733 76,713
Reserve Corps 4,000
National Army
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Total 9,524 202,510
APRIL, 1918
Officers. Men.
Regulars 10,698 503,142
National Guard 16,893 431,583
Reserve Corps 96,210 77,360
National Army 516,839
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Total 123,801 1,528,924
Of these 1,652,725 officers and men, several hundred thousand were
already in Europe in April, either in training camps or on the battle
front. "Over 100,000" was the figure given by General Pershing when he
announced the number of adequately trained, fully equipped American
troops that were immediately available for use in the battle of Picardy.
The War Department had announced its expectation of having 1,500,000
American soldiers in the war zone before the end of 1918. The progress
of training in the camps in the United States was unexpectedly rapid,
and at the close of the first twelve months our troops were going across
the Atlantic as fast as transportation could be provided.
General Pershing and his staff arrived in France on June 15, 1917, and
less than a month later the first division of American troops followed
him. Exactly 187 days after the United States declared war the first
American soldiers were in the trenches. The first contingents were
ordered abroad well in advance of the time intended, or expected, when
war was declared.