WWI, AEF Chauchat Machine Gun Team

"American infantrymen fires his 7.7mm Chauchat light machine gun. His Number Two holds the distinctive magazine." The Chauchat (Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG) was the standard machine rifle or light machine gun of the French Army during WWI. At the outbreak of the war, the United States pursued a policy of non-intervention, avoiding conflict while trying to broker a peace. After the sinking of seven U.S. merchant ships by submarines, Wilson called for war on Germany, which the Congress declared on April 6, 1917. The United States was never formally a member of the Allies but became a self-styled "Associated Power". The United States had a small army, but, after the passage of the Selective Service Act, it drafted 2.8 million men, and, by summer 1918, was sending 10, 000 fresh soldiers to France every day. The AEF helped the French Army on the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive (at Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood) in June 1918, and fought its major actions in the Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives in late 1918. At 11 o'clock in the morning of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the WWI, known at the time as the Great War, came to an end."

Picture No

10978396

Media ID

47619328

Size

4500px x 2705px (2.4MB)

Credit

Source

Photo Researchers