emy domination, and established our lines in a position
to threaten Metz. This signal success of the American First Army in its
first offensive was of prime importance. The Allies found they had a
formidable army to aid them, and the enemy learned finally that he had
one to reckon with.

PREPARATION FOR THE ARGONNE OFFENSIVE.

On the day after we had taken the St. Mihiel salient, much of our corps
and army artillery which had operated at St. Mihiel and our divisions in
reserve at other points, were already on the move toward the area back
of the line between the Meuse River and the western edge of the forest
of Argonne. With the exception of St. Mihiel, the old German front line
from Switzerland to the east of Rheims was still intact. In the general
attack all along the line, the operation assigned the American army as
the hinge of this Allied offensive was directed toward the important
railroad communications of the German armies through Mezieres and Sedan.
The enemy must hold fast to this part of his lines or the withdrawal of
his forces with four years' accumulation of plants and material would be
dangerously imperiled.

The German army had as yet shown no demoralization and, while the mass
of its troops had suffered in morale, its first-class divisions and
notably its machine gun defense were exhibiting remarkable tactical
efficiency as well as courage. The German General Staff was fully aware
of the consequences of a success on the Meuse-Argonne line. Certain that
he would do everything in his power to oppose us, the action was planned
with as much secrecy as possible and was undertaken with the
determination to use all our divisions in forcing a decision. We
expected to draw the best German divisions to our front and to consume
them while the enemy was held under grave apprehension lest our attack
should break his line, which it was our firm purpose to do.

LINE OF BATTLE.

Our right flank was protected by the Meuse, while our left embraced the
Argonne Forest, whose ravines, hills, and elaborate defense screened by
dense thickets had been generally considered impregnable. Our order of
battle from right to left was the Third Corps from the Meuse to
Malancourt, with the Thirty-third, Eightieth, and Fourth Divisions in
line, and the Third Division as corps reserve; the Fifth Corps from
Malancourt to Vauquois, with Seventy-ninth, Eighty-seventh, and
Ninety-first Divisions in line, and the Thirty-second in cor