Meuse-Argonne offensive

The offensive Meuse-Argonne was the last attack of the First World War. It was also the greatest operation and victory of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in this war. The offensive proceeded in the sector of Verdun, immediately in the north and the North-West of the city, between the September 26th and the November 11th 1918. This operation pushed the German army with the final defeat and the signature of the armistice of November 11th which put an end to the hostilities.

Involved forces

The American forces consisted of 10 divisions of first army U.S. ordered by the general John J. Pershing until October 16th then by general lieutenant Hunter Liggett. Logistics was planned and directed by colonel George Marshall. The German forces consisted roughly of 40 divisions of the army of the Crown prince and general max Carl von Gallwitz, whose greatest force the 5^ième armed with Gallwitz was ordered by the general Georg von der Marwitz.

First phase: September 26th at October 3rd

The American Ière armed with the task force of the general John Pershing lance what will become the battle of the Argonne, in the north of Verdun. It is one of the battles envisaged by the French marshal Ferdinand Foch so that the Germans give up their defenses on the line Hindenburg and end up capitulating.

The Ière armed with Pershing, cash a million men approximately , divided into three bodies, holds a face of 27 km of Forges with the Meuse until in the forest of Argonne. On the left of the Ière armed is held the IVe armed with the French general Henri Gouraud. The American forces face the group of army of the German general max von Gallwitz, while the French face the group of army of the royal prince of Prussia Frederic-Guillaume. American and the French deploy thirty-seven divisions , whereas German lays out of it twenty-four . They hold three lines of defense strengthened on a difficult ground.

The attack is launched to 5:25 and the American forces quickly gain ground advancing of 15 km approximately as of the five first days of the offensive. The progression of the French is less spectacular. The Germans dispatch reinforcements in the sector and slow down their projection although at the end of the battle, the October 3rd , two of the three German lines of defense fell.

Second phase: From October 4th to 28th

14 October 31st . The second phase of the Franco-American offensive of Argonne begins the 14 , after one period of reorganization during which the American forces committed in the battle were divided into two armies: the Ière under the ordes of the general Hunter Liggett and the IIe ordered by the general Robert Lee Bullard. The general John Pershing is general commander of the two armies.

The Ière armed with Ligget advances on north with a constant rytme vis-a-vis the keen resistance of the Germans, while the IIe armed with Bullard advances in the North-East between the Meuse and the the Moselle. The Germans are obliged to dispatch reinforcements since of other sectors threatened on the Western face to counter the French and the Americans. Each camp essuie of heavy losses at the time of the combat, which become exhausted at the end of the month.

The troops of Pershing however bored the last third and German line of defense. The offensive of Argonne is renewed at the beginning of the month of November, after one period of rest and sending of reinforcements.

Third phase: October 28th at November 11th

The last third and phase of the offensive of Argonne, directed by the Americans, starts. The American Ière armed under the orders with the general Hunter Ligget begins again are advanced in north and bores German defenses of Buzancy, which allows the IVe French Army to cross the Aisne.

German resistance effrondre and the American forces progress quickly in the valley of the Meuse in direction of Sedan, which fall the 6 . Although the offensive still progresses, it ends with the signature of the Armistice the November 11th.

Losses

The offensive of Argonne is a success, but its price is high: the Americans then lose more 26.000 soldiers and count almost 96.000 wounded since it began, on September 26th ' .

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