Toward the Great War

<p>As geographic neighbors the United States and Mexico have experienced varying tension ever since each country was colonized gained independence and solidified its boundaries. Between the American Civil War and World War I the U.S. Army conducted a wide variety of operations on the Mexican border that contributed heavily to the Army's organization doctrine and training as it entered World War I. This study examines defining characteristics and operations of the United States Army at the end of the American Civil War when the deactivation of the Union Army combined with multiple mandates and drastic cuts forced adaptation to high demands in ambiguous environments. This study then examines characteristics and operations of the Army during two interventions in the Mexican Revolution to include the occupation of Veracruz in 1914 and the Punitive Expedition in 1916. This study examines these operations and their effects on the Army as it radically expanded to meet the demands of World War I which the Army entered only months after the last incursion into Mexico by linking the U.S. Army of World War I to its previous operations in Mexico.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>