The AEF Way of War: The American Army and Combat in World War I

摘要

Focusing on four AEF divisions, the 1st, 2nd, 26th, and 77th, the author analyzes their organization, training, and combat operations from the time they are established following the American entry into World War I in April 1917 until the end of the war in November 1918.In the process, he demonstrates how pre-war US Army doctrine clashed with the realities of trench warfare on the Western Front. Artillery, not the rifle, was the "king of the battlefield" in World War I. The most successful at adapting to this new reality, the 1st and 2nd Divisions, are considered the premier AEF fighting units during the final months of World War I. Through the combat experiences of these four AEF divisions, the reader gains a new appreciation for the tremendous achievement of the United States armed forces.