Osprey - Campaign 238 - St. Mihiel 1918. The American Expeditionary Forces' Trial by Fire.pdf

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ST MIHIEL 1918
The American Expeditionary Forces’ trial by fire
DAVID BONK
ILLUSTRATED BY HOWARD GERRARD
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
CAMPAIGN • 238
ST MIHIEL 1918
The American Expeditionary Forces’ trial by fire
DAVID BONK
ILLUSTRATED BY HOWARD GERRARD
Series editor
Marcus Cowper
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
CONTENTS
ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN
CHRONOLOGY
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
Allied
German
5
8
9
OPPOSING ARMIES
American
German
14
ORDERS OF BATTLE
American
German
19
OPPOSING PLANS
The St Mihiel salient Foch’s change of plans American forces
Tank forces German dispositions and Plan
Loki
Deception
Air forces
22
ST MIHIEL
Deployment The attack begins Over the top The advance continues
Stemming the tide Race to Vigneulles September 13 September 14
34
AFTERMATH
THE BATTLEFIELD TODAY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
90
93
94
95
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
Stenay
Movzay
Longuyon
h
Ot
R
ain
Buzancy
r
ive
Jametz
Vouziers
Lo
Dun sur Meuse
iso
n
Ri
Me
the
of
ts
i g h
XX X X
He
X
XXX X
A
Peuvillers
ve
r
XXXXX
Thionville
ive
eR
isn
Grandore
Romagne
XXX X
St Juvin
Brieulles
Damvillers
Spincourt
X
X
r
Galwitz
Fleville
Montfaucon
Gincrey
Vacheruville
Etain
Bourelles
XXX X
5
Consenvoye
XX
R
Orne
iver
3
Briey
Moselle
River
us
e
Varennes
Argonne
XXX X
2 FR
Verdun
C
Conflans
Strategic overview of the St Mihiel salient
XXX X
4 FR
Forest
Parois
Haudiomont
Clermont
St Menehould
Rupt-en-Woëvre
XXX
Haudainville
XX
XX
XXX
Woëvre Plain
Mars la Tour
XX
X
XXXX
Gravelotte
Metz
V
XXX
Jonville
Combres
Chambley
XX
XXX
Me
u
s
e
R
i
Souilly
ve
r
Aire
River
Dommartin
Lachaussee
XXX
XX
X
Front line, September 12, 1918
0
10 miles
Domevre-
en-Haye
Commercy
Custings
0
10km
XXX
Apremont
XXX
IV
Dieulouard
8 FR
XXX
X
© Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com
Triaucourt
Hattonchâtel
XXX
Gorze
Mihiel
ad
eM
td
p
Preny
Ru
XXX X
Jaulny
Thiaucourt
XXX
19
N
XXX X
Vandieres
Essey
2 FR
1
St Mihiel
XXX
X
XX
Pont-à-
Mousson
Beaumont
I
XXX X
ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN
In March 1918 the German Army launched a series of sledgehammer blows
against both the British and French sectors of the Western Front, driving the
British back toward the Channel ports and the French toward Paris.
Operation
Michael
was the first in a series of German attacks launched over
the next several months intended to shatter Allied morale and force the Allies
to agree to a peace settlement before the full impact of expanding American
manpower made victory impossible.
American Commander-in-Chief John J. Pershing found the Allied high
command in disarray. Leaving a meeting with General Philippe Pétain on
March 21, 1918, Pershing was surprised to learn that the situation along
the British front was more serious than had been suggested. On March 25
Pershing met again with Pétain as rumors circulated that the French
government had begun preliminary planning to abandon Paris for Bordeaux.
Pétain admitted that he had ordered the headquarters moved to Chantilly
and that Allied losses exceeded 150,000. More troubling was the impression
that the French would not fulfill a previous mutual-aid agreement to assist the
Hindenburg (left) and
Ludendorff (right) with Kaiser
Wilhelm. Both generals hoped
that the Spring Offensive
would force the Allies to
negotiate a peace before
the full weight of American
resources could be brought
to bear.
5
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