Saint-Mihiel, Campaigns at

SAINT-MIHIEL, CAMPAIGNS AT

SAINT-MIHIEL, CAMPAIGNS AT (12–16 September 1918). After the successful Aisne-Marne offensive on 10 August, the American First Army began gathering along the front between the Moselle River and Verdun Forest in France for a direct blow against the German salient at Saint-Mihiel. Under the command of Gen. John J. Pershing, nine American divisions, numbering 550,000 men, and four French divisions, numbering 70,000 men, faced about 60,000 German soldiers. On 12 September, the First Army advanced five miles into the salient. Just after daylight, 13 September, American divisions from the south and west converged at Vigneulles-les-Hattonchatel, trapping 16,000 Germans. Altogether 443 guns were captured. By 16 September, the salient was entirely obliterated. The Americans suffered 7,000 casualties.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hallas, James H. Squandered Victory: The American First Army at St. Mihiel. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1995.

Stallings, Lawrence. The Story of the Doughboys: The AEF in World War I. New York: Harper and Row, 1966.

Joseph Mills Hanson / a. r.

See also American Expeditionary Forces ; Champagne-Marne Operation ; Meuse-Argonne Offensive ; Somme Offensive ; World War I .