St Mihiel 1918 - The American Expeditionary Forces' trial by fire - Osprey Campaign 238
Publication Year : 2011
Language : English
At 1:00 am on September 12, 1918, accompanied by rain and lightning, the American Army launched its first major offensive of World War I. Supported by French Colonial troops, the American IV and V Corps burst through the weakened German line at St. Mihiel and seized numerous objectives while taking over 16,000 prisoners and capturing over 400 guns. Although American tactics remain suspect, and the operation cost 7,000 US casualties, the battle was heralded as a huge Allied victory. More importantly, it demonstrated to the French and British that the Americans were capable of large-scale, combined-arms operations. Packed with photos, artwork and battle maps, this book explains the entire offensive in detail.
The author
David Bonk is a lifelong student of military history and historical miniatures wargamer. He has written for various wargaming publications, including the Midwest Wargamer Magazine and the SAGA newsletter, as well as Osprey Military Journal. He is a member of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society and served six years on the board of directors for that organization. Over the past several years he has become interested in the history of the American involvement in World War I and has been wargaming this period for some time. He lives in North Carolina.
