(_November 1--11, 1918._)
During the quiet days at the end of October, the Americans proceeded
rapidly to reorganize their forces, so as to be ready, as soon as Foch
should give the signal, for their part in the new Allied offensive.
[Illustration: ALLIED ARTILLERY CROSSING FLOODED DISTRICT NEAR
VOUZIERS]
[Illustration: THIRD STAGE OF THE FRANCO-AMERICAN OFFENSIVE; THE ALLIES’
PURSUIT OF THE RETREATING GERMANS UNTIL ARMISTICE DAY (NOV. 11, 1918)]
In the north, the Belgians had just cleared their coast-line, and were
menacing the enemy by an advance into the very heart of Belgium. The
British had occupied Lille and broken down the defences of the
Hindenburg Line. Meanwhile, the French, relentlessly driving back the
retreating enemy, had entered Laon, after forcing the formidable bastion
of the St. Gobain Forest.
On November 1, between Grandpré and the Meuse, the Americans had in line
the following forces of the First Army (Liggett):
The 3rd Corps, composed of the 5th and 90th Infantry Divisions.
The 5th Corps, composed of the 89th and 2nd Infantry Divisions.
The 1st Corps, composed of the 80th, 77th and 78th Infantry Divisions.
Their right was prolonged by the French 17th (Active) Corps, which, with
the 33rd (Active) Corps, was in liaison with their Second Army.
Facing these forces the Germans, under the command of Von der Marwitz,
had massed three army corps between Buzancy and the Meuse, reinforced by
two Austro-Hungarian divisions.
At 5.30 a.m. on November 1, the troops of the French Fourth Army
(Gouraud) and those of the American First Army (Liggett), after a two
hours’ bombardment of great violence, launched a fresh offensive.
The Americans attacked on the north, and, in spite of a stubborn
resistance, advanced several kilometres, taking 3,600 prisoners and
forty-four guns. The French attacked on the east, along a twelve-mile
front, cleared the whole of the right bank of the Aisne, and bit into
the Argonne, threatening on the right and in the rear the Germans, who,
facing south, stood opposed to the Americans. 1,300 prisoners and a
number of guns were captured. On November 1, the American 3rd Corps, on
the right, seized Aincreville, approached Doulcon and took Andevanne and
Cléry-le-Grand. In the centre, the 5th Corps captured Bayonville,
Rémonville and Landres. On the left, the 1st Corps, in the face of the
enemy’s fierce resistance, were only able to advance slightly in Loges
Wood.
On the following day (November 2) the Americans vigorously followed up
their attack. The 1st Corps, freed on its right by the advance of the
5th Corps on the previous day, pushed on boldly five miles beyond
Thénorgues and Buzancy, while the French, on their side, carried half of
the northern portion of the Argonne, reaching the Ballay-Longwé line on
the east of Vouziers.
On the 3rd, the enemy, threatened with being surrounded, fell back. The
Allies straightened their line towards the north, and advanced twelve
miles in the centre. The line now passed through Semuy, the southern
bank of the Ardennes Canal, the southern outskirts of Chesne, the course
of the Bar as far as Châtillon, through Belleville, Authe, St.
Pierremont, Sommauthe, Vaux-en-Dieulet, Belval, Le Champy-Bas,
Beauclair, Montigny-devant-Sassey and Mont-devant-Sassey. In three days
the Germans lost over 6,000 prisoners and 100 guns, and were driven back
towards the Sedan-Mézières-Metz highway, the approaches to which were
desperately defended. However, their resistance broke down before the
continued push of the Allies.
Already the Allies’ heavy guns were steadily bombarding the Stenay,
Montmédy and Longuyon Railways.
On November 4, the American 3rd Army Corps reached the Meuse between
Villefranche and Stenay, while two solid bridgeheads were established at
Brieulles and Cléry. The Germans, disconcerted by this rapid advance,
withdrew to the right bank of the Meuse.
The two other American Corps followed up the advance, and on the 5th
were within nine miles of Sedan, while the French advanced six miles
north of the line of the Aisne. On the 8th, the French were the first to
enter the suburbs of Sedan, and on the 9th they reached Mézières.
On the extreme right the Germans gave way before the impetuous attacks
of the French 17th Corps, and after a violent engagement, were driven
back, the next day, to the foot of the heights of the Meuse, south of
Stenay.
[Illustration: TANKS PUT OUT OF ACTION, AFTER DESTROYING GERMAN
MACHINE-GUN NEST NEAR BAYONVILLE
(_Nov. 7, 1918._)]
On the evening of November 10, the First American Army was to cross the
Chiers and push on next day to Montmédy, when the Armistice on the 11th
saved the German Army from destruction.
The spoils of the American Army during the last stage of the offensive
comprised 5,000 prisoners, 250 guns, 2,000 machine-guns, in addition to
enormous quantities of stores. In all, during the Meuse-Argonne Battle
the Americans took 21,000 prisoners and 400 guns, which, added to their
previous captures, amounted to 50,000 prisoners and over 1,000 guns.
Seventy-eight German divisions were engaged during the battle, and the
American casualties numbered 100,000 men.