Meuse–Argonne offensive facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meuse–Argonne offensive
Part of the Western Front of World War I
An American gun crew from Regimental Headquarters Company, 23d Infantry, firing 37mm gun during an advance against German entrenched positions.
Date September 26 – November 11, 1918 Location Near Montfaucon, northwest of Verdun (present-day Grand Est region), France 49°16′21″N 5°08′31″E / 49.27250°N 5.14194°E / 49.27250; 5.14194 Result Allied victory End of World War I
Belligerents
United States  France  Siam	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
John J. Pershing Henri Gouraud Henri Berthelot	Wilhelm of Prussia Max von Gallwitz Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
Units involved
American Expeditionary Forces First Army Second Army Fourth Army Fifth Army Siamese Expeditionary Forces	Army Group German Crown Prince Army Group Gallwitz Army Group Duke Albrecht
Strength
: 1,200,000 personnel 380 tanks 840 planes 2,780 artillery pieces : 850 personnel	450,000 personnel
Casualties and losses
Total: 192,000 : 122,063 26,277 killed 95,786 wounded : 70,000 casualties : 19 killed	Total: c. 126,000 28,000 dead 42,000 wounded 26,000 POWs taken by Americans 30,000 POWs taken by French 874 artillery pieces captured by both

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. It was fought from September 26, 1918, until the Armistice of November 11, 1918, a total of 47 days. The Meuse–Argonne offensive was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers. It is the second deadliest battle in American history, resulting in over 350,000 casualties including 28,000 German lives, 26,277 American lives and an unknown number of French lives. U.S. losses were worsened by the inexperience of many of the troops, the tactics used during the early phases of the operation and the widespread onset of the global influenza outbreak called the "Spanish Flu".

Meuse–Argonne was the principal engagement of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) during World War I. It was one of a series of Allied attacks known as the Hundred Days Offensive, which brought the war to an end. It was the largest and bloodiest operation of World War I for the AEF even if, given the scale of other battles on the Western Front, its size was limited and the operation itself secondary as it was far from the main offensive axis.

Images for kids

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  German soldiers drawing water

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  Sedan–Verdun and vicinity: The Meuse–Argonne offensive, September–November 1918 (c. 1938)

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  General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

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  Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett, commanding the U.S. First Army.

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  Lieutenant General Robert Lee Bullard, commanding the U.S. Second Army.

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  U.S. Marines during the offensive

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  German dugouts in the Argonnes

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  Two-seat German Hannover biplane forced down near Cierges

See also

In Spanish: Ofensiva de Meuse-Argonne para niños