The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which took place between September 26, 1918 and November 11, 1918, was the largest and final battle of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I. Approximately 1.2 million Americans fought in what remains the bloodiest battle in US history. More than 26,000 Americans lost their lives. The battle, planned and conducted in three phases, began on September 26, 1918. The Allies progressed through the Argonne Forest towards the Meuse River, facing well-entrenched German forces. The first phase included taking Montfaucon—a hill surrounded by agricultural fields that allowed the Germans a critical vantage point. The American monument to the battle now sits atop Montfaucon. The second phase took the Allies ten miles north to Romagne, where the American Meuse-Argonne cemetery now rests. The Americans began the final phase of the offensive on November 1, 1918, moving east across the Meuse River. Although still inexperienced, the Americans had two advantages: Pershing’s insistence on a war of movement and the Germans’ understanding that the American forces would not relent until the war’s end. The Americans played a critical role in ending the war on November 11, 1918 at the Meuse-Argonne.