American Expeditionary Forces
The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)[a] was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front during World War I, comprised mostly of units from the U.S. Army. The AEF was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of then-Major General John J. Pershing. It fought alongside French Army, British Army, Canadian Army, British Indian Army, New Zealand Army and Australian Army units against the Imperial German Army. A small number of AEF troops also fought alongside Italian Army units in 1918 against the Austro-Hungarian Army. The AEF helped the French Army on the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive (at the Battle of Château-Thierry and Battle of Belleau Wood) in the summer of 1918, and fought its major actions in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in the latter part of 1918.
American Expeditionary Forces
1917–1920
August 31, 1920
United States
2,057,675 men (1918)
AEF
General of the Armies John J. Pershing
Major General Francis J. Kernan
Major General Mason M. Patrick
Demobilization[edit]
After the Armistice of November 11, 1918 thousands of Americans were sent home and demobilized. On July 27, 1919, the number of soldiers discharged amounted to 3,028,487 members[25] of the military, and only 745,845 left in the American Expeditionary Forces.[26]
American Expeditionary Forces University at Beaune[edit]
The AEF established the American Expeditionary Forces University at Beaune, complete with its own chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.[27] Faculty included Walter M. Chandler, a Progressive Party member and, later, a Republican Party member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of New York. Botanist Edwin Blake Payson was also an instructor there.
Government
General information