U.S. Research: U.S. Fighting World War I
Directions: Use 3-5 minutes to double check this subject’s Power School for your class grade and work listings verifying that all work is caught up. Read and heed embedded messages. Next, research your part of the following topics and figure out answers to the questions. Write your questions and detailed answers on lined paper or your notebook paper. These questions and related answers are required to be handed in, once the class discussion is completed. You are expected to use the time completely, be through and become knowledgeable. Write down any puzzles you have related to the material on your paper and bring them up during the class discussion. Warning: If you are found to be using your research time for other things, it will hurt your learning and grade. If you think or claim to be done, you are not! Once your assigned part is ready, then help others on your team or study the test resources from Mr. Spitzer’s web page for the upcoming test. No games, non-topic talk or other activities allowed during research time. The class will research as much as time allows before team sharing and whole class discussion. Since there is always more to learn, Mr. Spitzer encourages you to look into this topic more on your own time. Your class work grade includes: 1. Entire use of time while researching. 2. Answer questions & pay attention during team sharing. 3. Paying attention & participate during class discussion. 4. Turning in your readable questions & notes. Team members who do not do their share, provide hasty sloppy answers, disrupt others and use time ineffectively in the four grade aspects will be removed from the team and required to write out and turn in all answers on their own for the grade.
Topics to Research
Questions to be able to discuss
1. What was the Lafayette Escadrille? Describe its role in World War I before the U.S. arrival in France. Who was Raoul Lufbery? Describe his background, World War I career, official kills and estimated kills, with examples. Relate his lion story and also his role in training U.S. pilots to fight. Describe the events surrounding his death in action.
2. Who is General John J. Pershing? Describe his military career and actions, how he received his nick name, goals for the AEF and how he functioned during his command in Europe.
3. Who are Eddie Rickenbacker and Colonel Billy Mitchell? Describe for each their background, World War I career, official kills and estimated kills, with examples. Describe what they did after the war was over. What did Mitchell advocate related to airpower after the war? How did he prove his point?
4. Describe how the U.S. helped halt the German advance in May and June 1918. Detail the battle actions at Cantigny, Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. Give the goals, purpose and how the battles actually went.
5. How did the Second Battle of the Marne halt the final German assault around Reims and in start the roll back? Explain what the First and Second American Divisions did starting July 18, 1918.
6. How did the American troops in September 1918 take control of the southern front in the fighting around St. Mihiel? Describe the battle action.
7. Describe the 47-day U.S. offensive toward the Sedan in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Describe the fighting, the advance of Allied line 30 miles, the capture of German prisoners and war materials, etc. How much were the German’s hurt by the American and Allied advances?
8. Who is Alvin York? Describe his background, beliefs, skills and how he accomplished his great feat. Go into great detail about how he captured all those Germans. How did he handle his fame afterwards?
9. What happened to the Central Powers in other parts of the Western Front to end World War I in 1918? Discuss also the events and fighting in Palestine and Arabia. Why did the German naval crews at Kiel mutiny? What did Austria and Italy do on November 3, 1918? What did the Germans and Allies sign on November 11, 1918? Give the exact month, day, time and year in numbers.
10. What did these future leaders do in World War I? Research only their World War I doings (ignore their World War II roles). Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Chester Nimitz, and George S. Patton.
11. What did these future leaders do in World War I? Research only their World War I doings (ignore their World War II roles). Henry Harley Arnold, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry Truman.
Critical Thinking
12. What part did American troops play in the victory of the Allies? Don’t forget the exhaustion of the Allies in 1917 and the German victory on the Eastern Front.
13. How do you think war advances technological development? How did technological development change the nature of war by 1914? What technological advances were made and used during the World War I, by the end of 1918?
14. Nearly 20 million persons, both military and civilian, were killed or disabled during World War I. The material damage due to the war is estimated at 28 billion dollars. How do you think these losses affected world conditions after the war?