View source for Meuse–Argonne offensive

{{short description|Military campaign during World War I}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Meuse–Argonne offensive
| partof            = the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] and [[Hundred Days Offensive]] of [[World War I]]
| image             = US23rdInfantry37mmGunInActionFrance1918-ARC531005.gif
| image_size        = 300
| caption           = An American gun crew from Regimental Headquarters Company, [[23rd Infantry Regiment (United States)|23rd Infantry]], [[2nd Infantry Division (United States)|2nd Division]], firing a [[Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP|37mm gun]] during an advance against German entrenched positions.<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the caption as it currently conforms to TemplateData for Infobox military conflict. Thank you. -->
| date              = September 26 – [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|November 11, 1918]]
| place             = Near [[Montfaucon-d'Argonne|Montfaucon]], northwest of [[Verdun]] (present-day [[Grand Est]] region), [[French Third Republic|France]]<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the location (i.e. "place") as it currently conforms to TemplateData for Infobox military conflict. Thank you. -->
| coordinates       = {{coord|49|16|21|N|5|08|31|E|region:FR-GES_type:event|display=inline,title}}<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the coordinates as they currently conform to TemplateData for Infobox military conflict. Thank you. -->
| map_type          = France
| map_label         = Meuse-Argonne American Memorial
| result            = Allied victory
* End of [[World War I]]
| territory   = * French forces advance 32 km and liberate [[Le Chesne, Ardennes|Le Chesne]] and [[Sedan, Ardennes|Sedan]]
* American forces advance 16 km
| combatant1        = {{flagcountry|French Third Republic}}<br />{{flag|United States|1912}}<br />{{flagcountry|Rattanakosin Kingdom|1917}}<ref name=Yas>{{cite web|url=https://thesiamsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/1982/03/JSS_070_0n_Hart_MilitaryParticipationOfSiamInWW1.pdf#page=3 |title=A Note on the Military Participation of Siam in the First World War|work=[[Journal of the Siam Society]]|first=Keith|last=Hart|date=1982|page=135}}</ref>
| combatant2        = {{flagcountry|German Empire}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[John J. Pershing]]<br>{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Paul Maistre]]<br />{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Henri Gouraud (general)|Henri Gouraud]]<br />{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Henri Mathias Berthelot|Henri Berthelot]]<br />{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Hunter Liggett]]<br>{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Robert Lee Bullard|Robert Bullard]]<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add or change links without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse–Argonne offensive]]. Thank you. -->
| commander2        = {{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Paul von Hindenburg]]<br>{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Erich Ludendorff]]<br>{{Nowrap|{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Wilhelm, German Crown Prince|Wilhelm of Prussia]]}}<br />{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Max von Gallwitz]]<br />{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg]]<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add or change links without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse–Argonne offensive]]. Thank you. -->
| units1            =
{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Army Group Centre (France)|Army Group Centre]]
* {{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Fourth Army (France)|Fourth Army]]
* {{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Fifth Army (France)|Fifth Army]]
{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[American Expeditionary Forces]]
* {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[First United States Army|First Army]]
* {{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Second United States Army|Second Army]]
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Siamese Expeditionary Force in World War I (Obverse).svg|22px}} [[Siamese Expeditionary Forces]]<ref name=Yas/><!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add or change links without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse–Argonne offensive]]. Thank you. -->
| units2            = {{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Army Group German Crown Prince (German Empire)|Army Group German Crown Prince]]<br />{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Army Group Gallwitz (German Empire)|Army Group Gallwitz]]<br />{{flagicon|German Empire}} [[Army Group Duke Albrecht (German Empire)|Army Group Duke Albrecht]]<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add or change links without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse–Argonne offensive]]. Thank you. -->
| strength1         = {{tree list}}
* {{circa}} 2,000,000 personnel 
** {{flagicon|United States|1912}} 1,200,000 personnel<ref name="Ferrell, Robert H 2007">{{cite book|last= Ferrell|first=Robert H.|author-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell|title=America's Deadliest Battle: Meuse-Argonne, 1918|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BwRnAAAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=University Press of Kansas|isbn=978-0-7006-1499-8|lccn= 2006029077}}</ref>
*** 380 tanks
*** 840 planes
*** 2,780 artillery pieces 
** {{flagicon|French Third Republic}} 800,000 personnel 
*** 652 tanks
*** 2,766 artillery pieces 
** {{flagicon image|Flag of the Siamese Expeditionary Force in World War I (Obverse).svg|22px}} 850 personnel<ref name=Yas/>
{{tree list/end}}
| strength2         = 450,000 personnel
| casualties1       = {{tree list}}
* 192,000<ref name="historyofwar.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_meuse_argonne.html |title=Meuse River–Argonne Forest Offensive, 26 September-11 November 1918 |publisher=Historyofwar.org |access-date=September 26, 2013}}</ref>
** {{flagicon|USA|1912}} 122,063
*** 26,277 dead
*** 95,786 wounded
** {{flagicon|French Third Republic}} 70,000 
*** 35,000 killed
*** 35,000 wounded 
** {{flagicon image|Flag of the Siamese Expeditionary Force in World War I (Obverse).svg|22px}}: 19 dead<ref name=Yas/>
{{tree list/end}}
| casualties2       = {{tree list}}
* 126,000<ref>"Collier's New Encyclopedia: A Loose-leaf and Self-revising Reference Work". 1922. Page 209.</ref>
** 28,000 dead 
** 42,000 wounded 
** 56,000 captured 
*** 26,000 taken by Americans
*** 30,000 POWs taken by French
** 874 artillery pieces captured by both<ref>Gary Mead: Doughboys</ref>
{{tree list/end}}
| campaignbox       = {{campaignbox Hundred Days 1918}}
}}
The '''Meuse–Argonne offensive''' (also known as the '''Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive''',<ref>{{cite book |title=An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present |date=1985 |publisher=Courier Corporation |page=275 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eSEnw1HuWUoC&pg=PA275 |access-date=13 September 2019|isbn=9780486249131 }}</ref> the '''Battles of the Meuse–Argonne''', and the '''Meuse–Argonne campaign''') was a major part of the final [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] [[Offensive (military)|offensive]] of [[World War I]] that stretched along the entire [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. It was fought from September 26, 1918, until the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|Armistice of November 11, 1918]], a total of 47 days. The Meuse–Argonne offensive was the largest in [[Military history of the United States|United States military history]], involving 1.2 million [[United States Army|American]] soldiers, sailors and marines, along with 800,000 French and 850 Siamese personnel. It is also the deadliest campaign in the [[history of the United States Army]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-07 |title=The Meuse-Argonne Offensive |url=https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/meuse-argonne |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=National Archives |language=en}}</ref> resulting in over 350,000 casualties, including 28,000 German lives, 26,277 American lives and an unknown number of French lives. American losses were worsened by the inexperience of many of the troops, the tactics used during the early phases of the operation, and the widespread onset of the global influenza outbreak called the "[[Spanish flu]]."

The offensive was the principal engagement of the [[American Expeditionary Forces]] (AEF) in World War I. It was one of a series of Allied attacks, known as the [[Hundred Days Offensive]], which brought the war to an end. 
It was the largest and bloodiest operation of the entire war for the AEF even though, given the scale of other battles on the Western Front, its size was limited and the operation itself secondary, being far from the main offensive axis.

==Overview==
{{more citations needed section|date=September 2016}}
The logistical prelude to the [[Meuse]] attack was planned by American then-Colonel [[George C. Marshall]] who managed to move American units to the front after the [[Battle of Saint-Mihiel]] ([[Saint-Mihiel]] is a town on the river [[Meuse]], the most important water obstacle on the Western Front).<ref>{{cite book |last1=James R. Penn and Larry Allen |title=Rivers of the World: A Social, Geographical, and Environmental Sourcebook |date=2001 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=154 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=koacGt0fhUoC&pg=PA154 |access-date=13 September 2019|isbn=9781576070420 }}</ref> The Allied breakthroughs (north, center, and east) across the length of the front line in September and October 1918 – including the [[Lost Battalion (World War I)|Battle of the ]][[Forest of Argonne|Argonne Forest]] – are now lumped together as part of what is generally remembered as the Grand Offensive (also known as the [[Hundred Days Offensive]]) by the Allies on the Western Front. The Meuse–Argonne offensive also involved troops from France, while the rest of the Allies, including France, Britain and its dominion and imperial armies (mainly Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), and Belgium contributed to major battles in more northwestern sectors of the Western Front, including the Hindenburg line.

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 104-0153, Argonnen, Soldaten beim Wasserholen.jpg|left|thumb|German soldiers drawing water]]
After [[Operation Michael]], the 1918 German offensive, began well but ended with the disaster of Reims in front of the French and at Amiens to British forces, The French and British armies systematically pushed back a German army whose efficiency was decreasing rapidly. British, French, and Belgian advances in the northwestern sectors of the front, along with the French–American advances around the Argonne Forest, are credited for leading directly to the Armistice of November 11, 1918. On September 26, the Americans began their strike north toward [[Sedan, Ardennes|Sedan]]. The next day, British and Belgian divisions drove toward [[Ghent]], Belgium. British and French armies attacked across northern France on September 28. The scale of the overall offensive, bolstered by the fresh and eager but largely untried and inexperienced U.S. troops, signaled renewed vigor among the Allies and sharply dimmed German hopes for victory.

The Meuse–Argonne battle was the largest frontline commitment of troops by the U.S. Army in World War I, and also its deadliest. Command was coordinated, with some U.S. troops (e.g. the [[Buffalo Soldiers]] of the [[92nd Infantry Division (United States)|92nd Division]] and the [[93rd Infantry Division (United States)|93rd Division]]) attached and serving under French command (e.g. XVII Corps during the second phase).

==Prelude==
{{Main article|Hundred Days Offensive}}
[[File:Meuse-Argonne Offensive - Map.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|[[Sedan, Ardennes|Sedan]]–[[Verdun]] and vicinity: The Meuse–Argonne offensive, September–November 1918 ({{circa|1938}})]]

===Opposing forces===
{{further|American order of battle Meuse–Argonne offensive}}
The American forces initially consisted of 15 divisions of the [[First United States Army|U.S. First Army]] commanded by General [[John J. Pershing]] until October 16 and then by Lieutenant General [[Hunter Liggett]].<ref>{{cite web | title = firstworldwar.com | url=http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/meuseargonne_pershing.htm | access-date = May 6, 2009}}</ref> The logistics were planned and directed by then Colonel George C. Marshall. The French forces next to them consisted of 31 divisions, including the [[Fourth Army (France)|Fourth Army]] (under [[Henri Gouraud (French Army officer)|Henri Gouraud]]) and the [[Fifth Army (France)|Fifth Army]] (under [[Henri Mathias Berthelot]]).<ref name="pagesperso-orange.fr">{{cite web | title = Situation au debut d'Octobre 1918 (Situation at the beginning of October 1918) | url=http://pagesperso-orange.fr/grande.guerre/sitocobre18.html | access-date = October 8, 2009}}</ref> The U.S. divisions of the AEF were oversized (12 [[battalion]]s per division versus the French-British-German nine battalions per division), being up to twice the size of other Allies' battle-depleted divisions upon arrival, but the French and other Allied divisions had been partly replenished prior to the Grand Offensive, so both the U.S. and French contributions in troops were considerable. All of the heavy equipment (tanks, artillery, and aircraft) was provided by the Allies (mainly by the French Army). For the Meuse–Argonne front alone, this represented 2,780 artillery pieces, 380 tanks, and 840 planes.

[[File:Famous generals of the great war who led the United States and her allies to a glorious victory (1919) (14596448378).jpg|thumb|left|General [[John J. Pershing]], Commander-in-Chief of the [[American Expeditionary Forces]] (AEF).]]

Concerning armored support, the 35th Division was completed by the 1st Tank Brigade (under [[George S. Patton]]) with 127 American-crewed Renault FT light [[Renault FT|tank]] and 28 French-crewed Schneider medium tanks. The 3rd US Tank brigade with 250 French-crewed tank was also involved supporting the V Corps. The 37th and 79th Division were augmented with a French tank regiment (Renault FT light tank) and 2 groups of medium tank (St-Chamond). The 91st Division was augmented with an equivalent force (1 light tank regiment and 2 groups medium tank).

[[File:Hunter Liggett.jpg|thumb|right|Lieutenant General [[Hunter Liggett]], commanding the [[First United States Army|U.S. First Army]].]]

As the battle progressed, both the Americans and the French brought in reinforcements. Eventually, 22 American divisions participated in the battle at one time or another, representing two full field armies.<ref name="nytimes1">{{closed access}} {{cite news |title=Battle of Argonne Began 18 Years Ago |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |quote=Eighteen years ago today at dawn the American First Army started its pivotal attack which smashed the Hindenburg line on the western front and forced the imperial German command to sue for armistice. |date=September 27, 1937 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/09/27/archives/battle-of-argonne-began-18-years-ago-47day-offensive-employing-22.html |access-date=September 26, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Other French forces involved included the [[:fr:2e Corps d'Armée Colonial|2nd Colonial Corps]], under [[Henri Claudel]], which had also fought alongside the AEF at the [[Battle of Saint-Mihiel]] earlier in September 1918.

[[File:Robert L Bullard.gif|thumb|left|Lieutenant General [[Robert Lee Bullard]], commanding the [[Second United States Army|U.S. Second Army]].]]

The opposing forces were wholly German. During this period of the war, German divisions procured only 50 percent or less of their initial strength. The 117th Division, which opposed the U.S. 79th Division during the offensive's first phase, had only 3,300 men in its ranks. Morale varied among German units. For example, divisions that served on the Eastern front had high morale, while conversely divisions that had been on the Western front had poor morale. Resistance grew to approximately 200,000–450,000 German troops from the [[5th Army (German Empire)|Fifth Army]] of [[Group Gallwitz]] commanded by General [[Georg von der Marwitz]]. The Americans estimated that they opposed parts of 44 German divisions overall, though many fewer at any one time.

=== Objectives ===

* ''Pierce the Hindenburg Line'': The primary objective of the Allied forces, particularly the AEF under the command of General John J. Pershing, was to breach the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line and advance beyond it. The Hindenburg Line was a series of heavily fortified defensive positions, including trenches, barbed wire entanglements, machine-gun nests, and artillery emplacements, designed to halt any Allied offensive.
* ''Advance into German Territory'': By breaking through the Hindenburg Line, the Allies aimed to penetrate deep into German-held territory, disrupt enemy communication and supply lines, and weaken the German Army's ability to resist further Allied advances. This would also put pressure on Germany's ability to sustain the war effort, potentially hastening the end of the conflict.
* ''Force Germany to Surrender'': The ultimate objective of the Battle of the Argonne Forest, as part of the broader Allied offensive on the Western Front, was to bring about the collapse of the German Army and compel Germany to seek an armistice and end the war. The success of the offensive was critical for achieving this goal and bringing about a decisive victory for the Allies.

==Battle==

===First phase (September 26 – October 4, 1918)===
[[File:U.S. Marines during the Meuse-Argonne Campaign.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|[[United States Marine Corps|US Marines]] in the battles of the Meuse-Argonne operation]]
The Allies decided to prepare for the assault on September 26 at 02:30 by launching one of the most expensive and stunning artillery barrages. This barrage was done with 2711 artillery guns and helped to destroy obstacles like barbed wire to help the Allies push up more effectively when the assault began. One of these artillery groups was led by Capt. [[Harry S. Truman]], a future US president.<ref name=":0" /> "During the three hours preceding H hour, the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]] expended more ammunition than both sides managed to fire throughout the four years of the [[American Civil War]]. The cost was later calculated to have been $180 million, or $1 million per minute (about $3.5 billion in 2022 dollars)."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Patton: A Genius for War|last=D'Este|first=Carlo|publisher=Harper Collins|year=1995|isbn=0060164557|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/pattongeniusforw00dest/page/254 254]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/pattongeniusforw00dest}}</ref> The American attack began at 05:30 on September 26 with mixed results. The V and III Corps met most of their objectives, but the [[79th Infantry Division (United States)|79th Division]] failed to capture [[Montfaucon-d'Argonne|Montfaucon]], the [[28th Infantry Division (United States)|28th "Keystone" Division]]'s attack virtually ground to a halt due to formidable German resistance, and the [[91st Division (United States)|91st "Wild West" Division]] was compelled to evacuate the village of [[Épinonville]] though it advanced {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}}. The inexperienced [[37th Infantry Division (United States)|37th "Buckeye" Division]] failed to capture Montfaucon d'Argonne.
[[File:Hill 223, Meuse-Argonne Offensive.jpg|thumb|166x166px|Hill 223]]
The subsequent day, September 27 most of the 1st Army failed to make any gains. The 79th Division finally captured Montfaucon and the [[Santa Fe Division|35th "Santa Fe" Division]] captured the village of Baulny, Hill 218, and Charpentry, placing the division forward of adjacent units. On September 29, six extra German divisions were deployed to oppose the American attack, with the [[5th Division (Germany)|5th Guards]] and [[52nd Infantry Division (German Empire)|52nd Division]] counterattacking the 35th Division, which had run out of food and ammunition during the attack. The Germans initially made significant gains, but were barely repulsed by the 35th Division's 110th Engineers, 128th Machine Gun Battalion, and [[Harry Truman]]'s Battery D, 129th Field Artillery. In the words of Pershing, "We were no longer engaged in a maneuver for the pinching out of a salient, but were necessarily committed, generally speaking, to a direct frontal attack against strong, hostile positions fully manned by a determined enemy."<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 15, 2008 |title=The Meuse–Argonne Offensive: Part II: Pershing's Report|url=http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/bigshow2.htm|publisher=The Great War Society}}</ref>

The German counterattack had shattered so much of the [[35th Infantry Division (United States)|35th Division]]—a poorly led division, most of whose key leaders had been replaced shortly before the attack, made up of National Guard units from Missouri and Kansas—that it had to be relieved early, though remnants of the division subsequently reentered the battle.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ferrell|first=Robert H. |author-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell|title=Collapse at Meuse–Argonne: The Failure of the Missouri-Kansas Division|url=https://archive.org/details/collapseatmeusea00ferr|url-access=registration|year= 2004|publisher=University of Missouri Press|isbn=978-0-8262-6239-4|lccn= 2004004300}}</ref> Part of the adjacent French attack met temporary confusion when one of its generals died. Nevertheless, it was able to advance {{convert|15|km|abbr=on|0}}, penetrating deeply into the German lines, especially around [[Somme-Py]] (the '''Battle of Somme-Py''' ({{langx|fr|Bataille de Somme-Py}})) and northwest of [[Reims]] (the '''Battle of Saint-Thierry''' ({{langx|fr|Bataille de Saint-Thierry}})).<ref name="pagesperso-orange.fr"/> The initial progress of the French forces was thus faster than the {{convert|3|to|8|km|abbr=on|0}} gained by the adjacent American units, though the French units were fighting in a more open terrain, which can be an easier terrain from which to attack.<ref name="historyofwar.org"/>

With the US struggling to make the progress they wanted, as well as struggling to pull their logistics together, Pershing ordered a halt to the attack on October 1. This allowed Pershing to regroup all the men and reinforce the line. This move to halt the attack was not popular among the Allied Generals and almost lost Pershing his job. Despite the lack of faith in Pershing he was allowed to continue leading the offensive, and The Offensive started up again on October 4.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Faulkner |first=Richard |title=The US Army Campaigns of WWI: Meuse-Argonne |publisher=Center of Military History |year=2018 |edition=1st}}</ref>

===Second phase (October 4–28, 1918)===
[[File:111-SC-27427 - NARA - 55214325 (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|[[Doughboy]]s of the [[18th Infantry Regiment (United States)|18th Infantry]], 1st Division, holed in on the side of Hill 240, near [[Exermont]], France, October 1918.]]

The second phase began on October 4, when the first assault divisions (the 91st, 79th, 37th and 35th) were replaced by the 32nd, 3rd and 1st Divisions. The 1st Division created a gap in the lines when it advanced {{convert|2.5|km|abbr=on}} against the 37th, 52nd, and 5th Guards Divisions.{{vague|date=September 2018}} It was during this phase that the [[Lost Battalion (World War I)|Lost Battalion]] affair occurred. The battalion was rescued by an attack by the 28th and 82nd Divisions (the 82nd attacking soon after taking up its positions in the gap between the 28th and 1st Divisions) on October 7. On October 12 Pershing had to reorganize the AEF and First Army due to the many struggles that were occurring in the second phase including disasters like the lost battalion which reflected badly on Pershing's leadership. Pershing started by dividing the First Army into two smaller armies. The First Army would be led by Hunter Ligget, and the newly formed Second Army would be led by Robert Bullard. Pershing, now free to focus on just the AEF, cleaned out all of the AEF’s senior officers. This was done as Pershing felt the AEF leaders lacked the aggression that was needed in the offensive.<ref name=":0" /> The Americans launched a series of costly frontal assaults that finally broke through the main German defenses (the Krimhilde Stellung of the [[Hindenburg Line]]) between October 14–17 (the '''Battle of Montfaucon''' ({{langx|fr|Bataille de Montfaucon}})). During the Battle of Montfaucon Missouri and Kansas National Guard soldiers were the first U.S. troops who tried to break through the stronghold of the Hindenburg Line at Côte de Châtillon but they were repulsed due to poor leadership. Next, the elite [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|U.S. 1st Infantry Division]] tried and failed after suffering catastrophic casualties. The [[42nd Infantry Division (United States)|Rainbow Division (42nd Division)]] under Brigadier General [[Douglas MacArthur]] was finally able to take Côte de Châtillon after exposing a gap in the German defenses that was discovered by MacArthur's soldiers. This victory at Côte de Châtillon was considered the decisive turning point of the whole Meuse–Argonne offensive.<ref>Frazer, Nimrod Thompson. ''The Best World War I Story I Know: On the Point in the Argonne, September 26–October 16, 1918''</ref> By the end of October, U.S. troops had advanced ten miles and cleared the Argonne Forest. On their left the French had advanced twenty miles, reaching the Aisne River.<ref name="historyofwar.org"/> It was during the opening of this operation, on October 8, that Corporal (later Sergeant) [[Alvin York]] made his famous capture of 132 German prisoners near [[Cornay]].<ref name=Fleming1993>{{cite journal| first = Thomas |last=Fleming |title=Meuse–Argonne offensive of World War I |journal=Military History |date=October 1993 |url=http://www.historynet.com/meuse-argonne-offensive-of-world-war-i.htm |publisher=HistoryNet.com}}</ref> On October 23, notable injuries were sustained to Major [[Frank Cavanaugh (American football)|Frank Cavanaugh]] as a result of enemy shellfire. From October 27 to November 1 Liggett allowed the Army to reorganize. This was due to the huge number of casualties that the First Army had taken, with over 9000 men lost and over 100,000 men injured since the start of the operation. The First Army needed time to not only train the fresh troops coming in, but also needed time for First Army engineers to build roads and light rails. Liggett wanted to ensure that he had manpower and resources, since the advantage they held over the Germans was the ability to reinforce and outnumber.<ref name=":0" />

===Third phase (October 28 – November 11, 1918)===
[[File:A dead gunner in a German machine gun nest killed during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.webp|thumb|209x209px|Dead gunner in a German machine gun nest, [[Villers-devant-Dun|Villers-devant-Dun, France]], November 4, 1918.]]
By October 31, the Americans had advanced {{convert|15|km|abbr=on}} and had cleared the Argonne Forest. On their left the French had advanced {{convert|30|km|abbr=on}}, reaching the [[Aisne River|River Aisne]]. The American forces reorganized into two armies. The First, led by General Liggett, moved to the Carignan-Sedan-Mezieres Railroad. The Second Army, led by Lieutenant General [[Robert L. Bullard]], was directed to move eastward toward [[Metz]]. The two U.S. armies faced portions of 31 German divisions during this phase. The American troops captured German defenses at [[Buzancy, Aisne|Buzancy]], allowing French troops to cross the [[Aisne River|River Aisne]], whence they rushed forward, capturing [[Le Chesne, Ardennes|Le Chesne]] (the '''Battle of Chesne''' ({{langx|fr|Bataille du Chesne}})).<ref>{{cite web | title = Novembre 1918 (November 1918) | url=http://pagesperso-orange.fr/grande.guerre/novembre18.html | access-date = October 8, 2009}}</ref> In the final days, the French forces conquered the immediate objective, Sedan and its critical railroad hub (the '''Advance to the Meuse''' ({{langx|fr|Poussée vers la Meuse}})), on November 6 and American forces captured surrounding hills. On November 11, news of the German armistice put a sudden end to the fighting.

==Image gallery==<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add images or links to this section. It would quickly become too unwieldy. Thank you. -->
<div class="center"><gallery mode="packed" heights="160" caption="Gallery">
File:In the Argonnes. Dugouts - NARA 17391858.jpg|German dugouts in the [[Forest of Argonne|Argonnes]]
File:Hannover CL IIIa Argonnen 1918.JPEG|Two-seat German [[Hannover CL.III|Hannover]] biplane forced down near [[Cierges]]
File:Soldiers lying dead where they fell on the field, Battle of the Argonne, France, 1918.png|Soldiers lying dead where they fell on the field, Battle of the Argonne, France, 1918
File:Meuse-Argonne, 26 September–1 October 1918.gif|The [[369th Infantry Regiment (United States)|369th American Infantry Regiment]] during the offensive.
File:Esnes in the Meuse-Argonne, looking toward the German lines, showing Hill 304 LCCN2007663836.tif|Panorama of no man's land, looking towards the German lines circa 1919
</gallery></div><!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not add images or links to this section. It would quickly become too unwieldy. Thank you. -->

== See also ==
* [[List of military engagements of World War I]]
* [[Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery]]
* [[Meuse-Argonne American Memorial]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* {{cite book |last=Baker |first=Horace Leonard |year=2007 |editor-last=Ferrell |editor-first=Robert H. |editor-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell |title=Argonne Days in World War I |url=https://archive.org/details/argonnedaysinwor00bake |url-access=registration |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |isbn=978-0-8262-6575-3}}
* {{Cite book| last = Braim |first=Paul |title= The Test of Battle: the American Expeditionary Forces in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign
| location = Newark |publisher= University of Delaware Press |year=1987 |isbn= 0-87413-301-7 |oclc=14240589 }}
* {{Cite book | last = Clodfelter |first= Micheal |title= The Lost Battalion and the Meuse-Argonne, 1918: America's Deadliest Battle
| location = Jefferson, N.C. |publisher= McFarland|year=2007 |isbn=978-0786426799 |oclc=71812758}}
* {{cite book |last=Ferrell |first=Robert H. |author-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell|year=2008 |title=The Question of MacArthur's Reputation: Côte de Châtillon, October 14–16, 1918 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2zrCIYfGlg4C |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |isbn=978-0-8262-6651-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Ferrell |first=Robert H. |author-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell |date=2011 |title=Unjustly Dishonored: An African American Division in World War I |url=https://archive.org/details/unjustlydishonor00ferr |url-access=registration |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |isbn=978-0-8262-1916-9 |lccn=2012462746}}
* {{Cite book| last=Lengel |first=Edward G. |title= To Conquer Hell |location=New York|publisher=Henry Holt|year=2008| isbn= 978-0-8050-7931-9}}
* Lengel, Edward G., ed. ''A Companion to the Meuse-Argonne Campaign'' (Wiley-Blackwell, 2014). xii, 537 pp.
* {{Cite book| last=Mastriano |first=Douglas |title=Thunder in the Argonne: A New History of America's Greatest Battle (Battles and Campaigns Series) |location=Lexington |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2018}}
* {{Cite book| last=Palmer |first=Fredrick |title=Our Greatest Battle: The Meuse Argonne|location=New York |publisher=Dodd, Meade |year=1919}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Price|first=Craig|date=December 2018|title=Meuse-Argonne: The Final Push to Victory|magazine=VFW Magazine|volume=106|number=3|location=Kansas City, Mo.|publisher=[[Veterans of Foreign Wars|Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States]]|pages=16–18|issn=0161-8598|quote=For Doughboys of the 89th Infantry Division, a desperate fight in a French forest illustrated the brutality of World War I's final months. The Meuse–Argonne Offensive was the war's largest and bloodiest campaign for U.S. troops, but it marked the beginning of the end of the war.}}
* {{cite book |last=Stackpole |first=Pierpont L. |year=2009 |editor-last=Ferrell |editor-first=Robert H. |editor-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell |title= In the Company of Generals: The World War I Diary of Pierpont L. Stackpole |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |lccn=2009028219 |isbn= 978-0826218704}}
* {{cite book |last=Triplet |first=William S. |date=2000 |editor-last=Ferrell |editor-first=Robert H. |editor-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell |title=A Youth in the Meuse-Argonne |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |isbn=0-8262-1290-5 |lccn=00029921 |oclc=43707198 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/youthinmeuseargo00trip }}
* {{Cite book |last=Wright |first=William M. |date=2004 |editor-last=Ferrell |editor-first=Robert H. |editor-link=Robert Hugh Ferrell |title=Meuse-Argonne Diary: A Division Commander in World War I |location=Columbia, Mo. |publisher=[[University of Missouri Press]] |isbn=978-0826215277 |oclc=70757341}}
* Yockelson, Mitchell. ''Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat at the German Army in World War I'' (New York: NAL, Caliber, 2016) {{ISBN|978-0-451-46695-2}}
{{Div col end}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
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===Government===
* [https://www.abmc.gov/multimedia/videos/battlefield-experience-meuse-argonne-offensive Battlefield Experience: The Meuse–Argonne Offensive] at [[American Battle Monuments Commission]]
* [https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/meuse-argonne.html The Meuse–Argonne Offensive] at [[National Archives and Records Administration|U.S. National Archives and Records Administration]]
* [https://www.abmc.gov/multimedia/interactives/meuse-argonne-offensive-interactive The Meuse–Argonne Offensive Interactive] at [[American Battle Monuments Commission]]
* [https://www.abmc.gov/multimedia/videos/day-history-september-26-1918-meuse-argonne-campaign-begins This Day in History, September 26, 1918: The Meuse-Argonne Campaign Begins] at [[American Battle Monuments Commission]]

===General===
* [https://www.britannica.com/event/battles-of-the-Meuse-Argonne Battles of the Meuse–Argonne] at [[Encyclopædia Britannica Online|''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Online]]
* {{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?407070-1/general-pershing-battle-meuse-argonne|title=General Pershing and the Battle of Meuse-Argonne |publisher=C-SPAN|date=March 22, 2016}}
* [http://meuse-argonne.com/ Meuse–Argonne offensive] at meuse-argonne.com
* {{cite web |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?200077-1/to-conquer-hell|title=To Conquer Hell|publisher=C-SPAN|date=February 6, 2008}}
* {{Internet Archive author|name=Meuse-Argonne Offensive}}
<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please follow the [[WP:EL]] guideline where possible and consider discussing on the talk page. Thank you. -->

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[[Category:Meuse–Argonne offensive| ]]
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