When the USA entered World War I in April 1917 her Regular Army counted just 128,000 men and lacked all the necessary equipment and training for modern trench warfare. By the Armistice of November 1918, General John J.Pershing's American Expeditionary Force in France had more than 2 million men and was holding 25 per cent of the Western Front. They had helped smash Ludendorff's brilliant Operation "Michael" in the lines before Paris; had turned onto the offensive themselves at St Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne; and if Germany had not negotiated peace with unexpected speed the US Army would have taken over from their tired Allies an even greater share of the planned 1919 campaign. This concise account of America's first world class army, its organization, uniforms, weapons and character, is illustrated with rare photos and eight full color plates.

· The US Army in 1914 · 1916: the National Defense Act - expansion of the regular forces · 1917: mobilisation of the National Guard · 1917: the Selective Service Law - conscription · The American Expeditionary Force - from 'triangular' to 'square' unit structure - divisional organisation - command · Campaign summary · Post-Armistice operations · Uniforms & insignia · Equipment · Weapons

Mark Henry, illustrated by Stephen Walsh