American Effort in France in 1917 and 1918
Apart from his exemplary leadership of the American army during the First World War, Pershing is also recognized for identifying the need to establish a military training school for the formal training of a competent military police corps. This was marked by the successful establishment of a school in Autun, France. He is therefore regarded as the father of the military corps. Pershing also led the initiative of providing better combat boots for the armies during the war. This was provoked by the need to have boots which could withstand the effects of the trench warfare.
The battle of the Chateau Thierry was the second combat in which the American expeditionary force was involved in during the First World War. The American expeditionary force was under the command of General Pershing during this time. It was part of the second battle of Marne and was triggered by the German troops on July 15th 1918. The Franco-American troops launched a counter attack on the German troops three days later, between Fontenoy and Chateau Thierry. The American army being more equipped and aggressive was the main fighting force around Soissons and Chateau Thierry. This area comprised of a stretch of more than forty kilometers. The American army caught the German troops by surprise and aggressively mounted a successful attack on enemy territory. They forced the German troops to retreat.
General Pershing was responsible for the training and supply of competent army men for both the National Guard force and the army force. Under the leadership of Pershing, the American army grew magnanimously in number from the initial twenty seven thousand to two full armies of almost two million trained personnel after he took command. Pershing was able to lead the army despite the constant political problems in America as a result of the war. Pershing sacrificed other political interests including his advocacy for an all racially inclusive army in order to pay his full attention to the leadership of the army.
Pershing went to France in June, 1917. This visit boosted the morale of the troops and was celebrated by the infantry by a short march around Paris. The American forces were then sent to France in autumn of the same year. By the beginning of 1918 entire divisions of the American army were joining the French troops in the frontlines against the German. Pershing however maintained that the American troops would not integrate with the other armies but would serve sorely under American command. The only time they integrated in warfare was late in 1918 when two divisions of the American army were loaned to the British, Canadian and Australian troops in breaking the Hindenburg line.
The American troops did not actively engage in combat until the summer of 1918 when they fought alongside the French troops in the second battle of the Marne. Eight American army divisions fought alongside twenty four French army divisions. Coupled with the success which the American and French troops had achieved at Amiens this battle served as a strong turning point of the battle offensive on the western front.
The troops succeeded at mounting a strong offensive against the German troops at Saint Mihiel but were stopped by the overall supreme commander, Marshal Foch. Instead of forging forward towards Metz, the American troops led three offensives into the western front. These consisted of two troops at the Hindenburg line as well as one more troop led by Plumer in Flanders. The troops were instead deployed northwards together with the French troops at Meuse Argonne. In addition to the civil unrest and the collapse of Germany supporters, this break up at Argonne was among the top reasons why the Germany finally accepted the armistice later in the war. The American and the French troops were initially at a numerical advantage against the German troops since most of the German troops were already engaged against the British expeditionary troops. Pershing had severally disdained trench warfare and fully believed that the skill of his troops with the rifle would give them a sure victory against the German troops.
The Meuse Argonne offensive took place in 1918 and was a part of the overall offensive consisting of all the allied forces. This battle was fought by the US army which was still under General Pershing at the time. In the battle of Meuse Argonne the alliance troops were focused on breaking through the Hindenburg line. This battle is considered to the biggest American offensive of the First World War. The aim of this battle was to break the railway hub at Sedan which was being used by the German army already occupying France, as the main supply link from the rest of the world. The lack of supplies would then result to the German troops withdrawing from the territory. This consisted of a 56km stretch of hills and forest land. This land extended towards Sedan where the French troops had been defeated in 1870. The attacking alliance force consisted of three already experienced and nineteen inexperienced American divisions. The attacking force also consisted of six French divisions and tank support.
The offensive was most aggressive at the Saint Mihiel battle where the American divisions who had initially been deployed in staff work, were redeployed in French uniforms at the front in night moves. These US troops were able to attack the four successive defense lines which had been elected by the German troops. Majority of the alliance forces were then sent to the north and the northwest of Verdun leading to one of the most success strategies of the war.
In September 26, 1918 the US army attacked the German troops and mounted a very aggressive front for two days until they were joined by twenty more divisions. Direct attack of the enemy troops however shattered much of the thirty-fifth division which primarily comprised of national guards. This division was replaced with other officers. The American army was also grappling with several problems including a breakdown in communication leading to some of the troops going without water or food for several days.
The momentum of the war and the morale of the alliance troops dwindled as a result of this and Pershing resumed the offensive in October 4 1918 up to October 29th 1918. This offensive was halted temporarily when the German troops retreated to the Meuses west bank. The British and Australian troops also took part in the Hindenburg offensive. Mont-Ibrehain village was captured in this offensive. This victory at St Quentin canal ended the conflict and marked a total bleach of the Hindenburg line by October 10 1918. This second phase of the war also saw the Battle of Montfaucon between October 14th and 17th.
The US troops at Hindenburg had succeeded in capturing more than ten miles while the French troops on the other side had successfully progressed for twenty miles and reached the Aisne River. During this operation on October 8, 1918 Sergeant Alvin York successfully captured one hundred and thirty two German soldiers. Sergeant York served in the 328th and the 82nd infantry in Georgia. He is reputed to have been a staunch Christian and only engaged in warfare after he was convinced by his commanders that war was justified biblically. Sergeant York is heralded for his efforts against the German troops on October 8, 1918 at Decauville rail line which was located north of Chatel Chehery. The orders of his group were to infiltrate the German lines and disarm the machine guns which were shooting at American troops.
The troop which was under Sergeant Bernard Early consisted of thirteen privates and four non commissioned officers. The attack did not go as anticipated and while the American troop was securing the German prisoners, they were assailed with machine gun fire from the ridge, killing six of their officers and wounding three others. York broadly approached the more than thirty enemy machine guns killing more than eight soldiers and taking the rest as prisoners. The actions of Sergeant York saw the remaining eight American soldiers capture one hundred and thirty two German soldiers. This in turn allowed the 328th infantry to renew the attack on Decauville Railroad. York received the Distinguished Service Cross from General Pershing as a result of his heroism while the French gave him the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre. The Italian government also recognized his efforts and awarded him with Croce di Guerra while Montenegro gave him the War Medal.
By the end of October, the American soldiers had forged on and covered fifteen kilometers while the French troops had passed the Aisne River and covered thirty kilometers. The American army divided into two fronts the first led by general Leggett which continued to advance towards the sedan railroad and the second front was led by Lieutenant General Robert towards Metz. This group captured the German troops at Buzancy facilitating the capture of Le Chesne by the French troops. Within these six weeks there were one hundred and twenty thousand American casualties including fifteen thousand deaths. This led to increased frustration and political pressure leading to what most scholars have classified as Pershings most grievous mistake. Pershing ordered the US first army to recapture Sedan which had been the location of the defeat of the French troop in 1870. Pershing therefore renewed the attack on November 1 and went on to capture Sedan by November 6.
This renewed attack however resulted in a lot of confusion because the first division forces had already been deployed at the west front and many American soldiers were arrested on the suspicion that they were German. Pershing also insisted through a direct letter to the allied supreme war council that the German troops not be given a chance for an armistice but be fought until they surrendered completely. This bold move was against the army protocol. At the time of the armistice, Pershing had already ordered troops to forge on towards Metz and towards Lorraine. This was also to run concurrently with other offensives into Belgium. Even after the armistice, the American government ignored the Versailles treaty until they signed another one in 1921. The last American troops left Germany in 1923.
In conclusion, the First World War was the fist time the American troops joined the alliance against enemy troops. This war resulted into the international recognition of America as a formidable military power earning it recognition from the rest of the world. The First World War was characterized by various smaller battles. The American troops were under the command of General Pershing. General Pershing is recognized for the initiative he took in establishing a training military school, ensuring that the troops were competent before being sent to the field. He recognized the need for the American troops to remain under their own leadership as opposed to integrating with the alliance troops. In addition he designed the first combat boot which allowed the American troops to forge forward even in the trenches. General Pershing is also recognized for the success of the First World War including the battle of Chteau-Thierry and the Meuse Argonne. Sergeant York is also recognized for his courage during the Meuse Argonne offensive at the Hindenburg line where he single handedly captured one hundred and thirty two German prisoners. The First World War marked the beginning of modern war alliances between different military powers.
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