[Illustration: ST. MIHIEL SALIENT PRIOR TO THE OFFENSIVE OF SEPT., 1918 _It measured 39 km. across its greatest width, 22 km. in depth, and about 65 km. along its front._] Since 1916 this important salient had been fairly quiet, and beyond intermittent bombardments—which showed that the lines on both sides were defended and that the artillery was on the alert—and a few local attacks, the communiqués had nothing to report. This salient, however, greatly hampered the French lines of communication, cutting as it did the railway between Verdun and Toul. This line, which runs as far as Epinal and Belfort, linked up these four great eastern fortresses before the war. The Defences of the Salient (_See map below._) Through aerial observations and prisoners taken during raids, the American High Command knew that the enemy possessed several lines of defences, one behind the other, in the salient, and that beyond the first line of trenches facing the front was a second line known as the Schroeter Zone, which formed a second salient about 5 km. within the first. This line began north-east of Eparges, and went southwards across the Meuse Heights, then descending eastwards near Varvinay as far as Buxières, afterwards passing behind the deep valley of the Rupt-de-Mad, and lastly going in a north-easterly direction through Nonsard, Lamarche, Beney and Xammes, where it joined up with the Michel line. The latter formed part of the system of defences known as the _Hindenburg Line or Kriemhilde Position_—considered impregnable by the Germans, and of which they said to the Allies: “Thus far, and no further”—and it was there that the final enemy stand in the salient was to be made. [Illustration: THE GERMAN DEFENCE WORKS IN THE SALIENT _The German lines of defence extended in échelons over the whole depth of the salient, and rested on the zone of the advanced forts of Metz._] The Opposing Forces (_See map below._) Lieutenant-General Fuchs, Commander of the German forces in the salient, had eight divisions in the line and five divisions of reserves. These divisions formed part of the forces of General von Gallwitz, commanding the army group, and it was he who really opposed the Americans. On this front General Pershing had four army corps disposed as follows:— The 1st Corps, comprising the 82nd, 90th, 5th and 2nd Divisions, commanded by Major-General Hunter Liggett, operated from Clémery, east of the Moselle, to Limey. The 4th Corps, consisting of the 89th, 42nd and 1st Divisions, commanded by Major-General Joseph T. Dickman, operated from Limey to Xivray. [Illustration: THE OPPOSING FORCES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1918 OFFENSIVE] To these two Corps was assigned the task of carrying out the main attack, their objective being the Vigneulles-St. Benoit-Xammes line, which was to be reached in three successive rushes.