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Western Front: 1918: The Year of Decision
Reduction of the German Salients
1. Aisne-Marne
Offensive, July 18-August 61
2. Reduction
of the Amiens Salient, August 8 - September 3
3. St. Mihiel Offensive, September 12-16
St.Mihiel Offensive, September 12-16
Short Summary:
REDUCTION OF THE ST.MIHIEL SALIENT (St.Mihiel offensive;
Sept. 12-16, 1918). The St.-Mihiel salient was created during the initial
German offensive in 1914 and had been practically dormant ever since.
The task of reducing the salient was given to the American First Army
(with one French corps attached) as its first operation as an independent
army. Appreciating their vulnerability in this exposed salient, the
Germans had begun to evacuate heavy equipment and materials before the
attack was launched. German resistance to the American attack was not
determined, and the salient was reduced in four days.
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By early July, 25 United States divisions were in France;
of these, 12 were trained and had engaged in or were ready for combat.
On July 24, General Pershing ordered the formation of Headquarters,
Unites States First Army, with himself as commander, to be effective
on August 10. It had been planned to have this headquarters assume control
of the 1st and 3d American corps, then engaged on the Vesle. When the
situation was stabilized there, Pershing obtained Foch's permission
to take over the St.-Mihiel sector instead, leaving 3 or 4 divisions
on the Vesle under French command.
The St.-Mihiel salient hampered rail communications
between Paris and Lorraine, and its reduction was necessary before Foch's
final offensive could be undertaken. In addition, it was important to
the Germans, since it covered Metz and the Briey iron mines; and for
these reasons this naturally strong position had been carefully fortified.
The severe fighting earlier in 1918 had made great inroads in the Germans'
manpower, however, and had forced them to economize wherever possible.
To further this purpose a step-by-step withdrawal from the St.-Mihiel
salient had already been ordered, and the removal of heavy materials
and some relatively immobile artillery pieces had begun on September
11, the day before the American attack.
By the end of August, Pershing had nearly completed
his plans and preparations for the St.-Mihiel offensive. Now Foch, elated
by the success of the Aisne-Mame and Amiens offensives, planned to reduce
the scope of the St.Mihiel offensive and to divide the American forces
into three groups to operate in different areas. A heated controversy
ensued between Foch and Pershing. The latter saw the advantage of pressing
the enemy and of giving him no respite, as Foch proposed, but he saw
no valid reason for splitting his own forces. When Foch insisted, Pershing
remained adamant, replying, "While our army will fight wherever
you may decide, it will not fight except as an independent American
army." Finally, a compromise was reached: the United States First
Army would remain intact, the objective of the St.Mihiel attack would
be limited to capturing the base of the salient, and the First Army
would then take over the Meuse-Argonne sector as its major role in the
final offensive.
The plan for the St.-Mihiel offensive provided for attacks by three
American corps (1st, 4th, and 5th) on the flanks of the salient, while
the 2d French Colonial Corps drove against its nose. As an army, the
United States First Army was decidedly unbalanced. During the dark days
of the early German drives, the British and French had pleaded for American
infantry and machine-gun units to fill their most pressing needs. Priority
had accordingly been given to the shipment overseas of these types of
units. Now the First Army found that it was dependent on the British
and French for heavy support. This was cordially given: most of the
3,000 guns to support the attack were provided by the French; the 267
light tanks to be employed also were French, some being manned by French
crews and some by American; and the air force of 609 American planes
was increased to nearly 1,500 by the attachment of French, British,
Italian, and Portuguese units.
The battle opened at 1 A.M. on September 12 with an
intensive artillery preparation, and at 5 A.M. the infantry jumped off.
Resistance was generally light, and by day's end most of the American
units had reached their secondday objectives. By evening of September
13, all objectives had been taken, and the salient had been reduced.
A much greater advance could probably have been made, but since Pershing
was committed to the impending Meuse-Argonne operations, the St.-Mihiel
attacks had to be halted. French units began relieving the American
divisions so that the latter could be moved immediately to the Meuse-Argonne
area.
The St.-Mihiel operation was a well-executed limited
offensive. It was not a hard fight, but American commanders and their
staffs there displayed their competence to handle a large operation,
as American troops had proved their fighting qualities in the Aisne-Marne
offensive.
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