Battle of Meuse-Argonne
The Battle of Meuse-Argonne, fought from September 26 to November 11, 1918, was a significant military engagement during World War I, marking a crucial phase in the Allied counteroffensive against German defenses. Led by General John J. Pershing, the American First Army aimed to penetrate the heavily fortified Argonne Forest and break through to the German lines. Despite initial struggles and heavy resistance from German forces commanded by Max von Gallwitz and Crown Prince Wilhelm, the U.S. troops persisted through a series of assaults, illustrating the challenges of trench warfare that had characterized much of the conflict.
A notable episode from the battle was the ordeal of the "Lost Battalion," where Lieutenant Colonel Charles Whittlesey's unit became surrounded and endured severe casualties. Another highlight was the heroic actions of Sergeant Alvin York, who captured a significant number of enemy soldiers, becoming a celebrated figure in American military history. By early October, American forces had largely cleared the Argonne Forest, paving the way for continued advances towards Sedan, which would be captured in conjunction with French forces. The battle underscored the effectiveness of fresh U.S. troops, significantly contributing to the eventual Allied victory in the war.
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Battle of Meuse-Argonne
Type of action: Ground battle in World War I
Date: September 26-November 11, 1918
Location: Northeastern France in the Argonne Forest west of Meuse River
Combatants: Americans vs. Germans
Principal commanders:American, General John J. Pershing (1860–1948); German, Max von Gallwitz (1852–1932), Crown Prince Wilhelm (1882–1951)
Result: Argonne Forest essentially cleared of German military forces
The 1918 Meuse-Argonne offensive was part of a large Allied counteroffensive to break the German defenses and bring the war to a close. The American First Army under General John J. Pershing was to spearhead the offensive west of the Meuse River through the heavily fortified Argonne Forest. The relatively inexperienced U.S. troops began the offensive on September 26 but after two days of fighting were unable to reach the main German defenses. Undaunted, Pershing called for reserves and ordered additional attacks through October.
The Germans, under Max von Gallwitz and Crown Prince Wilhelm, stubbornly defended their positions, and the battle evolved into the same sort of trench warfare that had marked the war since 1914. During the battle, the First Battalion of the Seventy-seventh Division, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Whittlesey, was trapped for five days several miles beyond the German lines, earning itself the title of the “Lost Battalion.” By the time relief troops broke through to free the battalion, its casualties had mounted to 406 of its original 600 troops. Also during the battle, Sergeant Alvin York, a Tennessee sharpshooter, picked off fifteen German soldiers and with his patrol took a total of 132 prisoners, making him a lasting hero in U.S. military history. By October 10, the Argonne Forest was cleared of Germans, though some held out on fortified hills between the forest and the west bank of the Meuse until November 6, when the Americans reached the Meuse. Americans marched on Sedan, which was taken by the French, and hostilities continued through November 10.
Significance
The Meuse-Argonne illustrated graphically to both the Allied and the German leaders that the fresh U.S. troops arriving in France by the hundreds of thousands were willing and capable of holding their own and more in World War I and that their numbers would ultimately enable the Allies to win the war.
Bibliography
Braim, Paul F. The Test of Battle: The American Expeditionary Forces in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. 2d ed. Shippensburg, Pa.: White Mane Books, 1998.
Matloff, Maurice, ed. American Military History. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1985.
Millett, Allan R., and Peter Maslowski. For the Common Defense. New York: Free Press, 1984.
Triplet, William S. A Youth in the Meuse-Argonne: A Memoir of World War I, 1917–1918. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2000.