Definition

Proper noun: - A specific military engagement in World War I: The Battle of St Mihiel refers to a significant offensive operation launched primarily by the American Expeditionary Forces in September 1918. It marked the first major independent offensive led by the United States Army during the war and was a successful effort to eliminate a long-standing German salient (a bulge in the front lines) near the town of Saint-Mihiel in northeastern France.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Battle of St Mihiel demonstrated the growing effectiveness of the American forces in World War I.
  • General Pershing commanded the American troops during the Battle of St Mihiel.
  • Many historians study the tactics used in the Battle of St Mihiel.

Advanced Usage

• Used as a historical reference point: The phrase is often used to denote a turning point or a key example of American military involvement in WWI.
  • The success at the Battle of St Mihiel boosted Allied morale before the final Meuse-Argonne offensive.

Variants and Related Words

• St Mihiel Salient: Refers to the specific German-held bulge in the front line that was the objective of the battle.

  • The Allied plan aimed to reduce the St Mihiel Salient.

• Meuse-Argonne Offensive: The larger series of operations of which the Battle of St Mihiel was a part.

  • The Battle of St Mihiel was a precursor to the larger Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Synonyms

• St Mihiel Offensive: An alternative name emphasizing the offensive nature of the operation.
• The American attack at Saint-Mihiel: A descriptive phrase for the same event.

Related Phrases

• To reduce the salient: A military phrase meaning to eliminate a bulge in the front line, directly describing the objective of this battle.
  • The primary goal was to reduce the salient at St Mihiel.

Noun

1. a battle in the Meuse-Argonne operation in World War I (1918); the battle in which American troops launched their first offensive in France