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The counter-offensives against the Marne salient in July, and against the [[strikethrough]] Armens [[/strikethrough]] [[?]] salient in August had gained such an advantage that it was apparent that the emergency, which justified the dispersion of [[strikethrough]] our [[/strikethrough]] the [[?]] divisions had passed. The formation of the American Army in the Chateau-Thierry region and its early transfer to the sector of the Woevre, which was to extend from Nomeny, east of the Moselle, to north of St. Mihiel, was therefore decided upon on August 9th, and the organization of the First American Army was made effective on August 10th. While it nominally assumed control of a portion of the Vesel [[vessel]] front, directions were at the same time given for its concentration in the St. Mihiel sector for the purpose of reducing the salient.

By August 30th, the concentration of the scattered divisions, corps, and and army troops, of the quantities of supplies and munitions required, and the necessary construction of light railways and roads, were well under way. Deficiencies in Artillery, Aviation, and special troops, caused by the shipment of an undue proportion of Infantry and Machine Guns during the summer, were being largely met by the French.

[[strikethrough]] While this was under way [[/strikethrough]] In the meantime a plan for a general offensive which would again require the separation of the recently formed First American Army into several groups, mainly to assist French armies, was proposed by the Supreme Commander, General Foch. The American Commander-in-Chief, General Pershing refused to accede to such a plan, stating that the disruption of the American Army to carry out such proposals would not be entertained as it was