This is a military history of meuseargonne battle that america fought in wwi against the germans. Mastriano brilliantly weaves together the german and american perspective of this clash of arms to craft a history of the meuse argonne campaign that is timely and engaging. New webpage for world war i records on the meuseargonne. Battles of the meuseargonne september 26november 11, 1918, a series of final confrontations on the western front in world war i. A companion to the meuse argonne campaign explores the single largest and bloodiest battle in american military history, including its many controversies, in historiographical essays that reflect the current state of the field presents original essays on the french and german participation in. Would advise reading in parallel to a book like keegans the face of battle to get a better sense of the everyday reality conditions. National archives the meuse argonne offensive of 1918 was the largest battle ever fought by americans. Shown in the visitor center at meuseargonne american cemetery, this film, through historic and modernday imagery, and recollections from letters, gives a. A youth in the meuseargonne is a firsthand account of world war i through the eyes of an enlisted soldier. Following the german retreat from the marne river in july, a series of practically simultaneous offensives against the shaken german armies carried the allies to.
The cemetery contains the largest number of american military dead in europe 14,246, most of whom lost their lives during the meuseargonne offensive and were buried there. It was the major battle that the us engaged in and was key to the german defeat in november of 1918. East of the meuse, the enemys fire fell in varying intensity in the environs of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading to conquer hell. The meuseargonne offensive was one of the final campaigns of world war i 19141918 and was fought between september 26 and november 11, 1918. Ferrell has finally filled this void with his superb volume, americas deadliest battle. The american attack in the meuseargonne was the most important of the great allied offensives of 1918. The meuseargonne offensive was the largest battle in american history. Available also through the library of congress web site as a raster image. This is a particularly practical book for those not trained as historians. The meuseargonne offensive was the largest independent american offensive against the imperial germany army during ww1. Mastriano has added to our understanding of the events of that offensive in this book. This is a military history of meuse argonne battle that america fought in wwi against the germans. The meuse argonne, 1918 the epic battle that ended the first world war kindle edition by lengel, edward g download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Would advise reading in parallel to a book like keegans the face of battle to. 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. Teaching and mapping the geography of the meuse argonne. The scale and results of this offensive underscored americas emerging role on. During this visit, we will discover the battle field, mostly protected today with trenches being entangled all over, but covered by vegetation today. Book about americans in the meuseargonne region books. Guarding pershings right was the french xvii corps, positioned on the east bank of the meuse. Meuseargonne american cemetery and memorial, romagne. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read meuseargonne diary. With its centennial upon us september 2018, it is fitting that a book be published covering this offensive, part of the allied push that ended the war. The 26th of september marks the 98th anniversary of the start of the meuseargonne offensive, which was the largest operation of the american expeditionary forces aef in world war i. Edward lengel talked about his book to conquer hell. The american attack in the meuse argonne was the most important of the great allied offensives of 1918.
A division commander in world war i ebook written by william m. Of all the battles and engagements in which knox countians took part during the world war, more men and officers of them were engaged perhaps, first and last, in the 47day struggle of the american army against the vital german positions in the argonne forest northward as far as sedan than in any other large conflict or large operation in france. The meuseargonne offensive and the end of world war i. The meuseargonne offensive of world war i ranks as one of americas most significant battles in terms of men and equipment engaged, the numbers of dead and wounded, and the strategic consequences. The meuseargonne was the principal engagement of the aef during world war 1.
It is a book long required in the realm of military literature. The 91 st wild west division was one of nine american divisions that assaulted german positions in the meuseargonne on september 26, 1918. The meuse argonne offensive also known as the meuse river argonne forest offensive, the battles of the meuse argonne, and the meuse argonne campaign was a major part of the final allied offensive of world war i that stretched along the entire western front. Those who fought on the meuse argonne in 1918, and all americans interested in their national heritage, are fortunate that edward g. In the area of world war i history, ferrell has established himself as. We will also visit the american war cemetery of romagne sous montfaucon, the biggest in europe with 15. As befitted its name, the 91 st was originally assembled from draftees inducted from the rocky mountain west. Black jack pershing and with over a million american soldiers participating, it was a part of the final allied. Red diamond infantry division received orders to push patrols across the meuse and. Their blow fell chiefly on the 1st guards, whose position lay east of the argonne, and the adjacent 117th infantry and 7th reserve divisions, while, at the same time, east of the meuse, french troops 10th colonial division made a demonstrative push on dieppe. The meuseargonne offensive was the greatest american battle of the first world war. Not far from the meuseargonne american cemetery, france, there is a monument to soldiers from company c, 371st infantry regiment of the 93rd infantry division who fought fiercely to push the fight towards germany as part of the meuseargonne offensive. The largest and bloodiest battle in american history, with over 1 million soldiers involved and over 100,000 casualties including some 26,000 killed in action, began one hundred years ago on september 26, 1918. It was a very complex operation involving a majority of the aef ground forces fighting through rough, hilly terrain the german army had spent four years fortifying.
Library of congress prints and photographs division. Their first days in action were indeed wild, as they. Historian john keegan writes that on july 4, 1917, elements of the american expeditionary force aef paraded in paris. This book tells the complete story of the meuseargonne campaign, the. The meuseargonne offensive is widely regarded as one of americas finest hours, and the amazing feats of sergeant alvin york, major charles whittlesey of the lost battalion, and lieutenant sam woodfill all accomplished in the midst of this maelstrom echo across the ages. It was fought from september 26, 1918, until the armistice of november 11, 1918, a total of 47 days. By battles end, which was the end of the war, 11 november 1918, 1. Triplet was a seventeenyearold junior in high school when, on april 2, 1917, president woodrow wilson asked for a declaration of war. In drafting his plans for a final grand offensive, he assigned the most difficult sector the dense argonne forest and the vast meuse river. Hello everybody, im looking for a book about the american soldiers who fought in the meuseargonne region at the end of 2018. He was instructed to push german forces off the heights on the east bank of the meuse. This opening book on the meuseargonne 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 meuse argonne, 1918 the epic battle that ended the first world war. The meuseargonne, 1918, published by henry holt and co. Cret served as consulting architect for all the abmc. The meuseargonne offensive, also know as the 100 days offensive, was the part of the grand allied offensive in 1918 at the end of ww1. Scenes include the realities of trench warfare, the. That said, ive yet to come across any book that addresses how the battle of the meuseargonne at the end of wwi unfolded to the real. A companion to the meuseargonne campaign explores the single largest and bloodiest battle in american military history, including its many controversies, in historiographical essays that reflect the current state of the field presents original essays on the french and german participation in. The sixweek battle of the meuseargonne is little celebrated today, but it was the largest, bloodiest battle in american history and pivotal to bringing germany to its knees. Gene faxs grandfather was a soldier of the 79th division, and his book is quite a. It was fought from september 26, 1918, until the armistice on november 11, a total of 47 days. The meuseargonne battle begins from the dispatches archive, this is a slightly edited and updated version of an article about the meuseargonne battle that first posted in 2008. Part of the hundred days offensives, the thrust in the meuseargonne was the largest american operation of the conflict and involved 1. Pershings army undertook the meuseargonne offensive, from sept.
Meuseargonne american cemetery and memorial romagne. American suppl y dump during the meuseargonne operation. To accompany report of the commander in chief, november 20, 1918. Americas bloodiest battle happened 100 years ago this. The whole offensive was planned by marshall ferdinand foch to breach the hindenburg line and ultimately force the opposing german forces to surrender.
Redandblue military overprint on grayandwhite base. Eleven days later the war ended, and so does the diary. In six weeks the aef lost 26,277 killed and 95,786 wounded. The argonne forest loomed as an impenetrable fortress to the east of a landscape of rolling fields with small hills and heights, bordered by the meuse river to the west. This book is a long and detailed description of the monthslong engagement.
Apush the american pageant chapter 30 vocab flashcards. The meuseargonne offensive was the largest in united states military history, involving 1. The initial assault involved nine aef divisionsincluding four green divisionson approximately a 30kilometerwide front. Those who fought on the meuseargonne in 1918, and all americans interested in their national heritage, are fortunate that edward g. A public fb group that encourages the sharing of information, news and events concerning the meuseargonne offensive of ww1, 26 sept. It began on 26 september, 1918, less than two weeks after the st. It is located east of the village of romagnesousmontfaucon in meuse. The meuseargonne offensive, also known as the maasargonne offensive and the battle of the argonne forest, was a part of the final allied offensive of world war i that stretched along the entire western front. Designed for the visitor center at meuseargonne american cemetery, this film presents visitors with an immersive, world war i experience. The americans objective was to break through the hindenburg line, which covered the length of the entire western front. Meuse argonne offensive also called the battle of the argonne forest, was a part of the final allied offensive of world war i that stretched along the entire western front. Lengel has written this deeply researched book bringing the strategy, the commanders, the officers and men, the tactics, the horror and the heroism together in a moving, dramatic, and intensely human account. Thunder in the argonne is the first book to bring alive the story of americas biggest ever battle. When the division joined the meuseargonne offensive, it was ready, and it did well as one of the spearhead units in the first armys final push on 1 november.