SEP 28 1917 LIBRARY MUSTERING OUR ARMED FORCES America's First Million of Fighting Men Mobilized NE of the most notable advances in the preparations of the United States to take part in the European war came with the conclusion of the effort to bring the regular army up to war strength. This was accomplished on Aug. 9, 1917, when the 183,898 men required at the beginning of the recruiting campaign on April 1 were at last enlisted. More than four months were thus occupied in reaching the maximum war strength of 300,000 men. The average daily enlistments during the 141 days were 1,300. But, despite its having now reached its war strength, volunteers for the regular army have since been coming forward in considerable numbers, so that on Aug. 20 the total was more than 10,000 in excess of the number originally required. A further addition to the nation's military forces was made on Aug. 5, when the National Guard was drafted into Federal service. More than 300,000 men in the guard units were discharged from State service, and with enlistments which have since taken place the National Guard now numbers about 350,000. Add this to the regular army, and we find that the United States now has 650,000 men under arms. These figures do not include the 40,000 men in officers' training camps. Finally, when the 687,000 men of the first conscript army are under arms, the United States will have over 1,300,000 men in its land forces. If the training of these men proceeds without delay, the United States ought to have its first million men on the firing line at the beginning of the Summer of 1918. Early in September the first section of the National Army-raised by draft— will be in camp. From now onward all these men will form one great army, since regulars, guardsmen, and conscripts, together with the newly trained officers, will be merged into a single fighting force. Comparison With Peace Forces Within five months of America's entry into the war the nation will have raised over a million men, a fact which can be more fully appreciated by looking back a few years to the small army which was considered adequate for the defense of the United States in times of peace. In 1880 the actual strength of the regular army was 26,509, in 1890 it was 27,095, in 1900 it was 69,155, and in 1910 it was 77,035. At the beginning of 1916 it had increased to 5,016 officers and 92,973 enlisted men, including 5,733 Philippine Scouts. But the year 1916 saw important developments. The Mexican raid on March 9, 1916, caused Congress to authorize an increase of 20,000, while the National Defense act of June 3, 1916, which was passed at a time when there was no thought of the United States intervening in the war, provided an aggregate war strength-including officers and special corps and services of all kinds of 301,375. But when the United States declared war in April, 1917, over 180,000 enlisted men were required to bring the army up to this figure. The National Guard before the war had about 8,500 officers and 123,000 enlisted men. At that time it was calculated that the United States could put into the field not more than 80,000 men at the utmost. It follows, then, that practically the whole army which will be ready to go to the front in 1918 will be an entirely new fighting force, created since America entered the war. Navy and Army Totals The naval forces have not been included in these figures. It was officially announced on Aug. 18 that since the United States declared war approximately 1,300,000 men had offered themselves for service in the naval and military forces of the country. Of this number, not includ ing those who have been commissioned from the training camps, 448,859 had been accepted since April 1. The total number serving on Aug. 18 in the armed forces-all volunteers-on land and sea was 943,141 men, not including the 687,000 men who are being drafted and who will go into training camps in September and October. Since the United States became a belligerent in April, 121,514 men who had volunteered for service in the navy, marine corps, and other sea forces had been accepted. In the regular army the increase since April 1 by voluntary enlistment had been 190,347, and in the National Guard 136,998, making a total of 327,345 recruits accepted in the army branches, and a grand total of 448,859 for both land and sea forces. Even this figure does not include all who have been accepted for service, for there have been additions to the different reserve corps, but these figures are not all available. The largest single item is that of 27,341 added to the list of land officers representing the young men commissioned from the first series of training camps. The land forces on Aug. 18 were: The changes in warfare during the last three years have been responsible for an important change in American Army organization. The new scheme is outlined in the following general order issued by the War Department on Aug. 7: "The ratio of artillery strength to infantry is greatly increased. A division will hereafter include only four infantry regiments in two brigades in place of the old division of three brigades, each comprising three regiments of infantry. There will still be three regiments of field artillery in each division. Thus, in the new organization, there will be three regiments of field artillery to every four regiments of infantry instead of the ratio of three to nine. In addition, a trench mortar battery is attached to each division. "The machine gun arm is also materially enlarged. A machine gun battalion of four companies has been made a unit of each division, in addition to the three machine gun companies included in each regiment. Each Division 19,000 Men "The American division will be made by this order to confirm practically to the units utilized by the Entente Allies, among whom a division numbers approximately 19,000 men. The reason for the change is that the division as heretofore made up of about 28,000 men is too unwieldy for the demands of trench warfare. With so large a unit, sure and swift communication with all parts is difficult. The problem to be met was basically one of mobility for the peculiar needs of fighting on the western front. "The smaller sized units call for maintenance of all units at full fighting strength. For this purpose reserve battalions will be provided. These will consist of 612 men each and are listed in the general order as separate training battalions.' Tl.e number of these battalions has not been made public. Details of regimental organization are also withheld for military reasons. "The new order provides for army corps and armies, units which have practically existed only on paper since the civil war. Corps were organized during the Spanish war, but were not actually operated as such to any great extent. Three Divisions to a Corps "Each army corps will consist of three infantry divisions, corps headquarters, and certain army corps troops not specified. Each army will normally consist of three or more army corps, army headquarters, and certain army troops not specified. "Under the new order each infantry division will be composed as follows, the changes from the present organization being as indicated: "One division leadquarters, (same as at present.) "One machine gun battalion of four companies, (new.) "Two infantry brigades of two regiments and one machine gun battalion (four companies) each. (The present division is three infantry brigades of three regiments each.) pital companies and four ambulance companies, (same.) 66 The new organization provides for no cavalry in the division. The division as at present constituted calls for one regiment of cavalry. The present division also calls for one aero squadron, while the new plan calls for none, the aircraft units being otherwise provided for. "The order specifies sixteen divisions of the National Army to be organized and numbered from 76 to 91, both inclusive, and states the numbers to be given to each of the different units in each division. It provides that the sixteen divisions of the National Guard now organized shall be reorganized to conform to the new plan as soon as practicable after their arrival in the training camps. "The regular army, the National Guard, and the National Army will all conform to the same plan." So far as the regulars are concerned, the reorganization already has been carried out for the units now in France. Sixteen Weeks of Training A large number of French officers have been selected by the French War Office to assist in the training of the new armies. France has also furnished aviation specialists for the instruction of American officers as well as a number of artillery specialists, who are giving the benefit of their experience to American artillery men at the Army School of Fire at Fort Sill, Okla. There are several French officers in Washington who have been in daily conference at the War College and the War Department. These officers will be attached to the staffs of the thirty-seven Major Generals recently announced to command the national army divisions. The plans of the War Department call for sixteen weeks, or virtually four months, intensive training, for the National Army and the National Guard in the cantonments. According to this plan, the first of these men should complete their training in January. On account of difficulties of transportation the probabilities are that American troops will be sent to France in a steady stream as fast as transports are available to send them. A considerable number of picked National Guard officers are now undergoing special training at the War College in Washington. This special instruction covers the whole field of modern warfare as now developed in Europe. The number of applications for the second series of officers' training camps was much larger than was at first expected. The figures made public by the Adjutant General showed a total of 72,914, of whom 51,838 passed the physical examinations. This work was accomplished in a month, as the applications were opened June 15 and closed July 15. It was originally stated that the War Department would choose for the second series of camps about 16,000 applicants. Applications came in very slowly at first, but increased with unexpected rapidity during the last ten days, as a result of the active campaign of the War Department. The camps opened on Aug. 27. Forty-seven Major Generals President Wilson on Aug. 14 sent to the Senate the names of 37 Major Generals and 147 Brigadier Generals whom he had appointed as general officers in the National Army. The appointments are for the period of the war. These officers may be assigned to the regular army, the National Guard army, or the National Army. All the thirty-five Brigadier Generals in the regular army were promoted to be Major Generals, and two officers of the National Guard were likewise promoted. These, with the ten Major Generals of the regular army already in office, give the United States a total of forty-seven Major Generals. Following are the names of the Brigadiers of the regular army who have been made Major Generals: One hundred and five Colonels of the regular army and two Lieutenant Colonels of that service were appointed Brigadier Generals of the National Army; also thirty Brigadier Generals of the National Guard and nine National Guard Colonels. The new officers are to rank from Aug. 5, 1917. It was announced on Aug. 14 that the first National Guard division to be sent to France would be the Forty-second, to be formed immediately out of troops from twenty-six States and commanded by Major Gen. William A. Mann. Three days later the War Department had completed plans for sending another composite division, the Forty-third, to be made up of National Guard troops from twenty-four States. The Conscript Army in the Making The second step toward the development of the National Army was taken on July 20 when a drawing by lot at Washington decided the order in which the nine and a half million men who had registered on June 5 should be called up for examination. The great national lottery created far more interest and discussion than either the enactment of the conscription law or the registration of the nation's young men. The War Department had devised a |