American Military History, Volume 2 by Richard W. Stewart

Though local operations to improve the defensive positions and aggressive patrolling continued along the St. Mihiel front, the main effort of Pershing and the AEF shifted forty miles to the northwest along the west bank of the Meuse. Over the next two weeks, the AEF now executed a complex and massive movement of troops, artillery, and supplies to its new battleground. This movement was completed over only three roads capable of heavy traffic and confined to the hours of darkness to maintain secrecy. Over 820,000 men were transferred in the region: 220,000 French and Italian troops left the area, and about 600,000 Americans entered. Of the 15 American divisions that took over the sector, 7 had been involved in the St. Mihiel operation, 3 came from the Vesle sector, 3 from the area of Soissons, 1 near Bar-le-Duc, and 1 from a training area. That this movement went off without a seri- ous setback was largely attributable to the careful planning of a young staff officer on Pershing's First Army staff, Col. George C. Marshall.

The AEF's attack into the Meuse-Argonne region was part of Foch's larger general offensive against the Germans. Together with the concentric attacks of the British toward Mons and the Americans toward Mézières, the French would attack in the center, as well as support- ing both of their allies in their operations. This broad-front campaign would force the Germans to defend the entire front. Foch's objective was to cut the enemy's vital lateral rail lines and compel the Germans to retire inside their own frontier before the end of 1918. For this grand offensive, Foch had 220 divisions, of which forty-two were the big divisions of the AEF.