UNITED STATES ARMY

IN THE WORLD WAR

19174919

Military Operations
of the
American Expeditionary Forces

Volume 8

CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY

UNITED STATES ARMY
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1990
 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
(Revised for ~01s. 7-9)

United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919.

Contents: v. 1. Organization of the American

Expeditionary Forces-v. 2. Policy-forming docu-
ments of the American Expeditionary Forces-
[etc.]-v. 4-9. Military operations of the American Ex-
peditionary Forces.
1. United States. Army-History-World War,
1914-1918. 2. World War, 1914-1918-United States.
I. Center of Military History.
D570.U55 1988 940.4’0973 88-600367

A new introduction has been added to Volume 1.

lype has been reset, but original pagination has not
been altered. Except for front matter, maps, illustra-
tions, and some tables, camera-ready copy was
produced by Susan Blair using optical scanning and
laser printing technology.

First Printed 1948-CMH Pub 23-13

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
 UNITED STATES ARMY IN THE WORLD WAR, 1917-1919

Volume 1 Organization of the American Expeditionary Forces

Volume 2 Policy-forming Documents of the American Expeditionary Forces

Volume 3 ‘IIaining and Use of American Units With the British and French

Volume 4-9 Military Operations of the American Expeditionary Forces

Volume 10 The Armistice Agreement and Related Documents

Volume 11 American Occupation of Germany

Volume 12-15 Reports of the Commander-in-Chief, AEF, Staff Sections and Services

Volume 16 General Orders, GHQ, AEF

Volume 17 Bulletins, GHQ, AEF

...
111
 FOREWORD

Military historians and scholars of operational art have tended to neglect the role
played by the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Although the Army orga-
nized a historical office in 1918 to prepare a multivolume history of the war, budget res-
traints and other considerations frustrated Chief of Staff ‘l%sker H. Bliss’ intention to
“record the things that were well done, for future imitation . . . , [and] the errors as
shown by experience, for future avoidance.” The momentous events of succeeding dec-
ades only strengthened this tendency to overlook our Army’s role in the fields of France
in 1918. This neglect, although understandable, is unfortunate: World War I posed
unique challenges to American strategists, tacticians, and logisticians-challenges they
met in ways that could provide today’s military student with special insights into the
profession of arms.
To encourage further research in the history of World War I and to fill a gap in the
Army’s historical documentation of that conflict, the Center of Military History has cre-
ated a World War I series of publications consisting of new monographs and reprints.
Complementing our newly published facsimile reprint Order ofBattle of the United
States Land Forces in the World War, we are reprinting this seventeen-volume compila-
tion of selected AEF records along with a new introduction by David F. ‘B-ask. Gathered
by Army historians during the interwar years, this massive collection in no way repre-
sents an exhaustive record of the Army’s months in France, but it is certainly worthy of
serious consideration and thoughtful review by students of military history and strategy
and will serve as a useful jumping off point for any earnest scholarship on the war.
There is a certain poignancy connected with the publication of this collection in the
seventieth anniversary year of “the war to end all wars.” Later this summer veterans of
that war will gather together, perhaps for the last time, to discuss the history of the
American Expeditionary Forces and to reminisce about their service. To them espe-
cially, but to all five million Americans who served in World War I, we dedicate this
scholarly undertaking.

Washington, D.C. WILLIAM A. STGFFT

1 June 1988 Brigadier General, USA
Chief of Military History

V
 Maps

No. Page
108. Concentration for St-Mihiel Operation. .................................... 171
109. Battle Instructions, September 2, 1918. ................................... 179
110. Combined Order of Battle, September 12, 1918 ............................. 279
111. Plan of Operation and Advance, September 12-18, 1918 ..................... 314

Illustrations
Manheulles---Fresnes-en-Woevre Area ......................................... 11
Cote de Senoux-Grande Tranchee de Calonne Area .............................. 20
Dommartin-Les Eparges Area. ............................................... 37
Montsec-Seicheprey Area ................................................... 48
Richecourt---Le Joli-Bois Area ............................................... 56
Flirey-Bois de Mort-Mare Area ............................................... 71
Bois d’Heiche---Bois-Gerard Area ............................................. 84
Vilcey-Bois de Presle Area .................................................. 95
Croix des Vandieres---Xon Hill Area. .......................................... 108
Hattonchatel-Vigneulles Area ................................................ 125
Lamarche-Vigneulles Area .................................................. 144
Hattonville-Bois de Vigneulles Area ........................................... 158
Essey-Pannes Area, in direction of Pannes ..................................... 188
Essey-Pannes Area, northwest from Essey ..................................... 198
Beney-Thiaucourt Area ..................................................... 207
Thiaucourt-Bois d’Heiche Area. .............................................. 214
Regnieville---Vieville-en-Haye Area ............................................ 238
Pagny-sur-Moselle---Vandieres Area ........................................... 254
Bois de la Grande-Souche---Bois de Beney Area ................................. 274
Bois de Beney-Xammes Area.. .............................................. 306
Moulin de Rembercourt-Bois Hailbat Area ...................................... 317
Xon Hill-Mousson Area ..................................................... 321

viii
 Military Operations
of the
American Expeditionary Forces