• Opener in your notebookOpener in your notebook:

→ Do you believe it’s the duty of all able-bodied individuals to serve in the military or should they have the choice to abstain (refuse)?

Selective Service ActSelective Service Act

• When: Congress passed the act May 1917• What: the act required men to register with

the government in order to be randomly selected for military service.

• By the end of 1918: 24 million men had registered. Around 3 million men were called to serve.

• Service: About 2 million troops saw action in Europe before the truce was signed.

African Americans • About 400,000 African American men

served

• Segregated units and were excluded from the navy and marines.

• Most were assigned to noncombat duties.

Mexican-Americans• # of Hispanics who served is unknown• Many received honors from combat duty• At the beginning of World War I, Americans who

lacked sufficient English skills were sent to training centers to improve their language proficiency and produce soldiers fully capable of being integrated into the army. However, by the time the camp was operational the war was almost over.

Asian-Americans• Despite numerous instances of discrimination,

many Asian-Americans joined the U.S. Army and served with distinction during World War I on the battlefields of France. Following the war, soldiers of Asian ancestry were recognized for their contributions to the war effort and were allowed to become naturalized citizens.

Women

• Not allowed to enlist • Army accepted women in the

Army Corps of Nurses but were not allowed an army rank, pay or benefits.

• 13,000 women took noncombat jobs in the navy and marines as nurses, secretaries, and telephone operators with full military rank.