While the cause of the Allies was being strengthened by the accession of the United States, it was being weakened by the threatened collapse of Russia. That nation, whose great work in the early years of the war had done so much to ward barring Germany's path to con quest, was threatening to withdraw from the conflict. The breakdown of the en tire Eastern front was foreshadowed. The Czar had been overthrown, disin tegrating forces were everywhere at work, and the former empire was in a welter of chaos and confusion. The se rious results to the Allied cause of Russia's defection were apparent. The Central Powers, relieved of the necessity of fighting on two fronts, could concen trate on one. Rumania, deprived of Russia's support, would fall an easy prey to the German armies. A million men could be hurried across Germany to be hurled against the hard-pressed Allies in the west. Austria would be able to give her undivided attention to Italy. The war would be prolonged indefinitel.y, and immensely greater demands would be made on American blood and treasure than had been anticipated.
To prevent this calamity, it was thought advisable by the United States Government that a commission be sent to Russia to assure her of this country's sympathy and support, to urge her ad herence to the cause of the Entente, and to promise help in developing her re sources and re-establishing her trans portation system, that had utterly broken down. The Commission was headed by Elihu Root, former Secretary of State, and comprised naval and mili tary officials, practical railway men and representative citizens. It reached Petro grad June 13, 1917, and was received with respect, and in some quarters with cordiality. The aims of the Commission had been previously communicated to the Russian Government then in power by President Wilson. The work of the Commission was carried on with great energy and ability, and by July 10 Mr. Root was so encouraged that he declared that it had accomplished what it had gone to Russia to do and that it had found "no organic or incurable malady in the Russian democracy." This same view was held by him when the Com mission returned to the United States and made its report to Washington on Aug. 12. Events, however, showed that he had been too optimistic. Russia passed from democracy to Bolshevism and with drew from the war. Still, the Root Com mission had a real value in deferring, if it could not prevent, the Russian collapse.
Military preparations went on with in creased energy as the signs of Russian weakening multiplied. On Aug. 14, Pres ident Wilson sent to the Senate for con firmation the names of 37 major-generals and 147 brigadier-generals, whom he had appointed as officers in the National Army. Radical changes were made in army organization to embody the lessons learned by the Allies in three years of war. The ratio of artillery strength to infantry was greatly increased. It was
ordered that there should be three regi ments of field artillery to every four reg iments of infantry, instead of the for mer ratio of three to nine. The machine gun arm was also materially enlarged. The one regiment of cavalry, that was previously a unit in every division, was abolished, as cavalry had been shown to be a comparatively unimportant factor in the war, except in the Far East. Many new services were provided for, such as gas and flame service, forestry regiments, trench, mortar, anti-aircraft and chemical units demanded by the ex igencies of this greatest of all wars.
A notable episode and one that sym bolized to the world the actual entry of America into active warfare was the arrival in Europe, June 8, 1917, of Major-General John J. Pershing, who had been chosen as Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces abroad. He was accompanied by his staff of 53 officers and 146 men. He re ceived an enthusiastic greeting in Lon don and a thrilling welcome in France, he was looked upon as the leader of a coming army of 20th Century Crusaders. He visited the tomb of Napoleon and laid a wreath on the tomb of Lafayette. Long conferences were held with the military authorities regarding American participation in the conflict. It was an nounced that General Pershing would de termine where the American expedition should be sent, and that his decision would be final. He was to be an inde pendent commander, in absolute control of his own forces, but co-operating with the British and the French. This ar rangement continued in force until, as will be narrated later, General, after ward Marshal, Ferdinand Foch was made Generalissimo of the Allied forces, March 28, 1918.
The first units of the United States army that were to fight abroad reached a French port on June 26 and 27. They had been despatched in compliance with a Presidential order of May 18. They received a magnificent welcome from enormous crowds while bands played the "Star Spangled Banner" and the "Mar seillaise." The detachment was under the command of Major-General William L.. Sibert. They and the troops that soon began to follow in an ever increas ing stream were placed in French camps behind the firing line, where they were given intensive training by war veterans of the French and British armies. After this training was completed, they were placed in the trenches on comparatively quiet sectors near Toul and in Lorraine. The Germans soon learned of their pres ence, and subjected them to artillery fire, gas attacks and bombs dropped from airplanes. The Americans, in conjunc tion with the French, took part in trench raids and minor operations, and soon a growing casualty list gave warning of the sacrifice of life that was to be demanded of America before victory could be achieved.