Russia.— The vast population of Russia was thoroughly militarized in the years preceding the war, and it is claimed that 13,000,000 men were more or less trained. At least 5,000,000 were available at the outbreak, and early in 1917 it is stated that almost 11,500,000 were credited to the army. This number was steadily reduced, the losses in both Masi crittisla —aiicron the Anstrani from being enormous, and probe*. not more than 5,000,000 were ender arms at the tine of the Russian debacle.
Belgium.-- Brave littk Belgium, which bore the first onslaught alone, started the war with 117,000 troops, increased to 137,000 by volunteers within two months, and was gradually swelled thereafter to 18(1,000 in the autumn of 1917, and 267,000.at the close of the war.
Serbia.— No country suffered more than un happy Serbia. Starting .with is few hundred thousand troops, she was. so beset that soon one-fourth of her poptdation was mobilized, and over 700,000 men put in the field. This meant practically all the active rnen of the nation. In the first two years there were 171,000 battle deaths in this little army, and at the close only 150,000 men. remained to return to rehabilitate their dewastated territory.
Greece.— The Greeks had 230)300 men in their arnry at the date in 1917 when they CM tered the war, and about as many at the close, their losses being 87,000.
Portugal and Japass,—.Forttigal mobilized 750,000 men and Japan had a standing army. of 800,000, but neither of these saw much service.
Tarkon—Before the war Turkey had com pulsory triilitary service, and an army of over 100,000. She first mobilized about 210,000, and later her war strength was brought up to 750,000, with 150,000 more in training. The casualties were severe, totaling about 400,000, and about 60,000 deserters added brought down the arniy at the close to about 400,000 inen.
Ramania.—By means of conseriptioni Ru mania came into the' war with about 290,000 troops, who were reorganized under French direction and increased to about 400,000 at the highest total.
Bulgaria.—The 36 regiments of Bulgaria pre_sented a war strength of 280,000, increased front about 60,000 on a peace footing.
United States.— Entenng the war in April 1917, with only 200,000 troops, the United States by volunteers and by selective draft had over 4,000,000 men in the service when the armistice was signed. Over 2,000,000 troops were' on the fighting ground within 18 months, and their efficiency, and the well-known fact that they were continuing to come in, trained and fresh, at the rate of 70,000 a week, had much to do with the Germans' sudden decision to give up the struggle.
Germany.— The following table affords a clear idea of the German forces, and the time and manner of their increase: Austria-Hmtgary.— Germany's ally had nearly 3,000,000 men in the field before the war was six months old. She trained and mobilized men steadily until near the end, enrolling a total of 6,500,000. Her losses were so stupen dous that she was credited with only 1,500,000 at the close.
The gmnd total of men etrolled in the various armies is shown under the sub-heading WAR CAsuames, being over 56,000,000, of whom 7,553,600 were slain, 16,937,000 wounded and 6,729,000 missing or prisoners. Malang allowance for the wounded who returned M fight, there were about 30,000,000 under arms at the close, as against 19,000,000 at the begin nin=5.
ents of the Belligerents.—The Great War was fought mainly with established types of weapons and arms, machine guns and rifles, field pieces, howitzers, etc., doing tnost of the work of throwing deadly metal and explosives. The difference as compared with earlier wars lay largely in the methods of attack and defense, and the vastly increased amount of powder and explosives employed. The air craft added a scouting feature which did away with the value and importance of cavalry, that figured so prominently in earlier conflicts. The aaati-aircraft gun was the one novel firearm used to any degree. The use of bursting shells instead of solid shot was inaugurated at the outset by the Germans, and proved so effective that the large howitzers were developed as fast as possible. The tank was the first suc cessful radical fighting machine introduced on the Allied side, and did much to offset the advantages won earlier by the Gernaans from the illiat use of gas. These weapons and mech anisms are all described elsewhere, but it is desired to record here the numbers and use ;made of them in the war.
The production of artillery by the three leading nations among the Allies is a fair guide for the artillery employed, since the amount of manufactured and unused artillery at the close would about offset the amount avail able at the outset by France and Belgium. This production, up to the close of the fighting, was 57,000 gunbodies and complete artillery units; and 6,500,000 machine guns and machine rifles and ordinary rifles. The details follow of the three nations' production during the war: While the United States figures are very much lower than those of the other Allies, it should be remarked that, at the time of the armistice, the United States had caught up, and was producing as many shells and explosives as either of her Allies.
The German infantry used the Mauser maga zine rifle mostly, and Austria and Turkey em ployed the Mannlicher. The Germans used both light and heavy howitzers, introducing the larg est known, with great distance capacity. The Austro-Hungarians used a field howitzer of 1,000 pounds, throwing a 30-pound shell, and a much lighter mountain howitzer, throwing a shell of 10.6 pounds. France employed the Lebel magazine rifle, and howitzer batteries of four and 62 inches. England manufactured the Lee-Enfield rifle; their regular army had field pieces throwing 13-pound and 18-pound shells, and howitzers of 40-pound and 60-pound ca pacity. All these weapons are described under other headings in this Encyclopedia.