Right up to Armistice Day US clout in WWI kept increasing

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(6 Nov 2018) By this time of year exactly one hundred years ago, in 1918, United States soldiers had been involved in enough World War I battles that a half-dozen cemeteries are now dotted across northern France to honour their dead. • A majority of the close to 2,300 US soldiers now buried at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery died fighting German troops during the almost month-long battle of Belleau Wood. • While many across the Atlantic considered WWI to be Europe's war, US troops were instrumental in turning the tide in after the nation had shed its isolationism and declared commitment to stand by its European allies by joining them. • In the 1,5 years that followed after the US declared war on Germany in April 1917, a standing army of 127,500 had turned into an armed force of two million in Europe, with an additional two million soldiers ready to be deployed. • Speed was of the essence. Russia left the war in March 1918 and Germany had sent its troops to the Western front for a final full onslaught. Just in time, US soldiers started arriving en masse. • The Americans attacked without much preparation, French historian Jean-Michel Steg told the Associated Press at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery earlier this year, adding that US troops showed a lot of courage - quickly attacking against the enemy instead of retreating. • But parttaking in the fighting came at a heavy cost for the United States, with an estimated 360,000 casualties including 126,000 killed in action and 234,000 wounded. • Still, it hardly compared to French military losses of 1.4 million or those of the British imperial forces of 1.1 million. • Not all of those who perished in various battles were army soldiers. • Just outside Paris, a large number of volunteers rest at the French commune of Suresnes' American Cemetery, which was dedicated in 1937. • They volunteered in every capacity imaginable to fight for the cause of freedom and liberty, said cemetery superintendent Keith Stadler. • Those who didn't make it through the war were buried at Surnesnes' graveyard along with some 1,500 US soldiers who fought in all the major battles of the War. • US President Donald Trump is expected to join other world leaders at World War I armistice events hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend. He is set to visit some of the burial sites. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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