World War 1
Major Battles
First battle of WWI in which us troops actively participated in combat
Belleau Wood:
Showed the rest of the world the amazing tenacity with which the United States soldiers fought with. Thousands of marines successfully defended Belleau Wood from German invasion. This was also the most considerable engagement with a foreign enemy.
St. Mihel:
One of the first us solo offenses of the war. The allies surprise attacked the Germans and caught them at a time of retreat which led to a clear cut win for the allies.
New Technology
The development of the machine gun made it impossible for foot soldiers to advance on open land. Trenches were dug for shelter, and were seen predominantly on the western front. The trenches provided protection from artillery and resulted in stalemate.
Poison Gas:
Various poison gasses such as chlorine, mustard, and tear gas were used on the battlefield. These gasses caused severe injury or even death. Germans first Introduced chlorine gas during the second battle of Ypres. Wind was a crucial factor when using the gas. Gas later become ineffective with the introduction of gas masks.
Tunnel warfare:
Men dug tunnels underneath enemy positions and then used explosives to destroy their targets from below. First used by the Germans.