Uniforms, Equipment and Weapons of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I is a detailed look at the uniforms, equipment, weapons, personal items, insignia, and specialist equipment of the American Army during the Great War. This comprehensive study uses over 100 original black and white photographs of American soldiers, many of which are previously unpublished. The book also shows over 700 full color photographs of original items as well as recreated scenes that bring many of these items to life. Finally, one book that covers all of the nuances of the American Doughboy during the Great War, from common uniforms and equipment, to the rare experimental and private purchased items. This is an indispensable work for any First World War collector, living historian, modeller and enthusiast.
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.
In the English-speaking world, it is generally unknown that a volunteer Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) fought alongside the US Army in Italy from mid-1944 until the end of the war. This was in effect a light infantry division, consisting of three infantry regiments augmented with artillery and light armour. It was supported by a Brazilian Air Force contingent of a light reconnaissance squadron as well as a P-47 Thunderbolt-equipped fighter squadron. Although all weapons, uniform, kit and equipment were either American-supplied or American models, there were distinctive Brazilian adaptations to uniforms and other key pieces of kit. This is a seriously researched volume on a little-studied subject matter complete with a range of previously unpublished photographs and specially commissioned artwork plates.
This book covers the organization, tactics, weapons, equipment, orders of battle, and uniforms of official and unofficial units, from early raiding parties to formal assault battalions. Rare photos depict badges and insignia not previously known, while primary documents describing regulations and training are provided in their entirety. New information on the origin of shock tactics is presented, gleaned from German archives and not previously published in English. Specific operations on all fronts are included, along with extracts from German army manuals for shock-troop arms such as flamethrowers, mortars, machine guns, grenade launchers, assault artillery, and tanks.
Though the US Marines initially struggled to maintain their distinctive identity within the huge American Expeditionary Force in France, their unforgettable performance at Belleau Wood, Soissons, St Mihiel, Blanc Mont and the Meuse-Argonne established their reputation as 'the most aggressive body of diehards on the Western Front'. This book describes the organization of this formidable force during World War II, from 1917 to 1918, and details their uniforms, insignia and decorations, weapons and equipment. Numerous photographs and eight full colour plates vividly depict the various ranks of the US Marine Corps.
Rifles, cannon fire, cavalry charging in waving sabers; it could be scene on a battlefield in the Civil War. Read this book to learn about the weapons used in the Civil War.
This Leavenworth Paper chronicles the introduction of chemical agents in World War I, the U.S. Army's tentative preparations for gas warfare prior to and after American entry into the war, and the AEF experience with gas on the Western Front. Chemical warfare affected tactics and almost changed the outcome of World War I. The overwhelming success of the first use of gas caught both sides by surprise. Fortunately, the pace of hostilities permitted the Allies to develop a suitable defense to German gas attacks and eventually to field a considerable offensive chemical capability. Nonetheless, from the introduction of chemical warfare in early 1915 until Armistice Day in November, 1918, the Allies were usually one step behind their German counterparts in the development of gas doctrine and the employment of gas tactics and procedures. In his final report to Congress on World War I, General John J. Pershing expressed the sentiment of contemporary senior officers when he said, "Whether or not gas will be employed in future wars is a matter of conjecture, but the effect is so deadly to the unprepared that we can never afford to neglect the question." General Pershing was the last American field commander actually to confront chemical agents on the battlefield. Today, in light of a significant Soviet chemical threat and solid evidence of chemical warfare in Southeast and Southwest Asia, it is by no means certain he will retain that distinction. Over 50 percent of the Total Army's Chemical Corps assets are located within the United States Army Reserve. This Leavenworth Paper was prepared by the USAA Staff Officer serving with the Combat Studies Institute, USACGSC, after a number of requests from USAA Chemical Corps officers for a historical study on the nature of chemical warfare in World War I. Despite originally being published in 1984, this Leavenworth Paper also meets the needs of the Total Army in its preparations to fight, if necessary, on a battlefield where chemical agents might be employed.
