American Expeditionary Forces in the Great War: The Meuse Argonne 1918: Breaking the Line

by Maarten Otte

Overview

Although the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which began in late September 1918 and continued through to the Armistice, was not the first major action fought by the AEF, it was the greatest in which it engaged in the Great War. Indeed, the casualty count in the fighting at the Meuse-Argonne makes it the bloodiest battle in American military history.

The Argonne was an area that had been heavily fought over, particularly in the early part of the war; its eastern part, towards the Meuse, then became enveloped in the first great attritional battle of the war, Verdun. The area is marked by extensive woodlands and rolling countryside; however, unlike the Somme, it is interspersed with numerous waterways, deep ravines and higher ridges, along with significant hills, such as at Montfaucon.

To be frank, the opening stages of the Offensive were marked by considerable unforced difficulties for the Americans, who after all were facing a far from strong enemy opposition (however formidable the defensive line might have been). Errors were made, logistical problems multiplied, command was often less than satisfactory. In many respects this should not have come as a surprise: this was an army that was relatively new to the Western Front, which was being reinforced at an awesome rate (approximately 300,000 men a month by July) and whose senior commanders had never before faced the challenges of modern warfare, themselves evolving at a dizzying rate.

Maarten Otte gives a background narrative to events before the opening of the Offensive and its development. Taking each of the US corps in turn, he then provides tours that will help the visitor to understand the fighting and the problems that were faced. This opening book on the Meuse-Argonne takes the reader, more or less, to the date when General Pershing handed over command of the US First Army to Major General Liggard in mid October, a change in command that marked a significant improvement in the American performance as they pushed the Germans ever backwards.

The Great War battlefield of the Argonne is marked by numerous physical remains of the war, some fine (some might argue over grandiose) monuments and by the stunning American cemetery at Romagne, the second largest in the world administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission. There is much to see in a battlefield that has been largely neglected in the decades since the Second World War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526714459
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	04/19/2018
Series:	Battleground Books: WWI
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Maarten Otte is a long time resident of the Argonne. Growing up in the Netherlands with a fascination with the Great War, particularly the role of the United States. He has published books on Nantillois in 1918 and on US Medal of Honor winners.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Introduction vi

Author's Introduction xi

List of Maps xiii

Introduction 1

Setting the scene: The Meuse-Argonne 1914-1917 3

1918: The Meuse-Argonne Offensive - The Americans take over 12

I CORPS

Car Tour 1 I Corps area: The Argonne Forest and the Haute-Chevauchée 22

Walk 1 I Corps: The Lost Battalion, 2-8 October 61

Walk 2 I Corps: Sergeant York, 8 October 78

V CORPS

Car Tour 2 V Corps area: 24-30 September 93

Walk 3 V Corps: Montfaucon, 27 September 115

Walk 4 V Corps: Cunel and Romagne, 1-20 October 137

III CORPS

Car Tour 3 III Corps: Béthincourt, Forges and Dannevoux, 26-29 September 163

Walk 5 III Corps: Brieulles and Forêt Wood, 4-31 October 188

Car Tour 4 US Monuments and Memorials: The All-American Tour 213

Appendix 1 Order of Battle, First US Army 233

Appendix 2 Composition of an American infantry division 235

Appendix 3 Some notes on the AEF 237

Advice to Travellers 243

Acknowledgements 247

Select bibliography and suggested further reading 248

Index 250

Editorial Reviews

An invaluable and extraordinary contribution to the growing library of World War I Histories and highly recommended for both community and academic library collections.

Midwest Book Review