With the repulse of the German offensives and the success of Allied counter-offensives, a general attack was planned. The Americans, with French help, would reduce the St. Miheil Salient, which had cramped the supply of Verdun since 1914. The Germans were evacuating the salient as the attack began, and the effect gained a quick success. Rather than continue the attack toward Metz to the east, the American army was shifted north to the Meuse-Argonne sector. This move, engineered by Col. George C. Marshall, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, was an impressive logistical achievement on its own. Now the Americans would attack north through rolling hills and forests studded with four lines of German fortifications. Sedan, the ultimate objective, was a point of enormous strategic importance. Through Sedan ran the railroad that the Germans were using to supply their armies in France. If Sedan could be captured, perhaps the war could be won.
Nine American divisions, twice the size of European divisions, would attack. French divisions would attack to the west on the other side of the Meuse River, and tot he west on the other side of the Argonne Forest. A three hour bombardment from 2, 775 guns along a 40 km front started the offensive at 2:30 am on September 26th. Progress was good the first day, with the advance passing Montfaucon on both sides. The town would fall the next day, but the delay allowed the Germans to bring in reinforcements, with seven divisions being added to the five that were already there. Progress slowed around Romagne Heights, but on October 5th an attack forced the Germans to fall back from the Argonne Forest. On October 6th, an attack east of the Meuse helped relieve flanking fire from that sector. German and American reinforcements were brought in. On October 14th, the Americans broke through the Hindenburg Line. An attack on November 1st convinced the Germans to fall back behind the Meuse. By November 11th, doughboys were overlooking Sedan and the railroad that supplied the German army in France. Along with the Allied armies, the Americans had put enough pressure on the Germans to force them to sign an armistice in a rail car at Compiegne. The "War to End All Wars" was over.
