Once committed to hostilities, America’s extraordinary capacity for industrial production and human organisation took possession of the nation’s energies. It was decided at the outset to raise the army to be sent to France by conscription, overseen by local civilian registration boards. Over 24 million men were registered in 1917–18 and those deemed most eligible – young and unmarried males without dependants – formed the first contingent of 2,810,000 draftees. Together with those already enrolled in the regular army, the National Guard and the Marines, they raised the enlisted strength of the
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