American planes

One of the seemingly insignificant events that occured when the US went to war in '17 was the immediate guarantee of loans to the Allies and the the back-up of British and French cuttency and credit. Few realize how the British in particular were having huge problems getting supplies from none-belligerents. In many ways the long war of attrition was one of economic attrition, too- a pell-mell race into financial colapse. The war would have to end when you couldn't feed, fuel or arm your soldiers or your populace. For the Allies that down-hill slide was braked by America's stand. The effect of the US Dollar was broad & immediate and added at least 4 years to the Allied effort. Germany knew that time now was an Allied weapon and the 'Amerika' plan was one last desperate gasp. When the great 'Push' failed, the shortages began to really hurt and there was only the patato famine waiting...
I once heard an economist argue that the Dollar would have won the war without one american having to be drafted or mobilized. (the US allowing volunteers to leave for foreign service.)
I disputed this line remembering the British and French Generals wondering how they could stop the German spring offensive with what they had or could expect. No, soldiers had to go..
First we sent money, then we sent men. The implements of war we had to purchase from our friends, after that we fought the 'hun' until the end.

One of the seemingly insignificant events that occured when the US went to war in '17 was the immediate guarantee of loans to the Allies and the the back-up of British and French cuttency and credit. Few realize how the British in particular were having huge problems getting supplies from none-belligerents. In many ways the long war of attrition was one of economic attrition, too- a pell-mell race into financial colapse. The war would have to end when you couldn't feed, fuel or arm your soldiers or your populace. For the Allies that down-hill slide was braked by America's stand. The effect of the US Dollar was broad & immediate and added at least 4 years to the Allied effort. Germany knew that time now was an Allied weapon and the 'Amerika' plan was one last desperate gasp. When the great 'Push' failed, the shortages began to really hurt and there was only the patato famine waiting...
I once heard an economist argue that the Dollar would have won the war without one american having to be drafted or mobilized. (the US allowing volunteers to leave for foreign service.)
I disputed this line remembering the British and French Generals wondering how they could stop the German spring offensive with what they had or could expect. No, soldiers had to go..
First we sent money, then we sent men. The implements of war we had to purchase from our friends, after that we fought the 'hun' until the end.