View source for Meuse-Argonne American Memorial

{{Short description|World War I monument}}
{{for|the military cemetery|Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox military memorial
| name             = Meuse-Argonne American Memorial<br />{{small|Montfaucon American Monument}}
| native_name      = Monument Américain de Montfaucon
| native_name_lang = fr
| body             = [[American Battle Monuments Commission]]
| image            = Montfaucon383.jpg{{!}}border<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the image without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse-Argonne American Memorial]]. Thank you. -->
| image_size       = 300px
| caption          = Main façade of the memorial in December 2008<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the caption as it currently conforms to TemplateData for Infobox military memorial. Thank you. -->
| commemorates     = the [[First United States Army|American First Army]] victory in the [[Meuse-Argonne Offensive|Meuse-Argonne offensive]], September 26–[[Armistice of 11 November 1918|November 11, 1918]]<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the caption as it currently conforms to TemplateData for Infobox military memorial. Thank you. -->
| unveiled         = {{Start date and age|1937|08|01}}
| coordinates      = {{coord|49|16|21|N|5|08|31|E|region:FR-GES_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| nearest_town     = [[Montfaucon-d'Argonne|Montfaucon]], [[France]]
| designer         = [[John Russell Pope]]
| inscription      = Erected by the [[United States|United States of America]] to commemorate the brilliant victory of her First Army in the Meuse-Argonne offensive September 26&nbsp;– November 11, 1918, and to honor the heroic services of the [[French Army in World War I|Armies of France]] on [[Hindenburg Line|this important battle front]] during the [[World War I|World War]]
| source           = <ref name="AMBC1937">{{cite web |url=https://www.abmc.gov/multimedia/videos/montfaucon-american-monument-dedication-1937 |title=Montfaucon American Monument Dedication in 1937 |publisher=[[American Battle Monuments Commission]] |access-date=April 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="AMBC1938">{{cite book |author=American Battle Monuments Commission |author-link=American Battle Monuments Commission |title=American Armies and Battlefields in Europe: A History, Guide, and Reference Book |url=https://archive.org/details/americanarmiesba00wash |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=[[United States Government Publishing Office|Government Printing Office]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/americanarmiesba00wash/page/203 203], 473 |date=1938 |lccn=39026436 |oclc=344565 |ol=OL14064063M |via=[[Internet Archive]]}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
}}
<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the first paragraph without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse-Argonne American Memorial]]. Thank you. -->The '''Meuse-Argonne American Memorial''' ('''''Montfaucon American Monument'''''; {{langx|fr|Monument Américain de Montfaucon|links=no}}) is an American [[World War I memorials|World War I memorial]] commemorating "the brilliant victory of the [[First United States Army|American First Army]] in the [[Meuse-Argonne Offensive|Meuse-Argonne offensive]], September 26&nbsp;– [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|November 11, 1918]], and pays tribute to the previous heroic services of the [[French Army in World War I|Armies of France]] on the important [[Front line|battle front]] upon which the memorial has been constructed." It was erected by the [[Federal government of the United States|United States Government]] and is the largest of the American war memorials in [[Europe]].<ref name="AMBC1938" /> Outside [[Montfaucon-d'Argonne|Montfaucon]] in the [[Meuse (department)|Meuse]] [[Departments of France|department]] in [[Grand Est]] in north-eastern [[France]], it was unveiled on August 1, 1937. The memorial was designed by [[John Russell Pope]].<ref name="AMBC1937" /> He designed a massive, [[Doric order|Doric]] [[Victory column|column]] in [[granite]]. It is surmounted by a statue [[Liberty (goddess)|symbolic of liberty]] and towers {{convert|71|m|ft}} [https://amtcollections.fr/produit/dept-55-montfaucon-monument-americain-de-montfaucon-hauteur-71-metres-14-etage-234-marches/] above the hill and the war [[ruins]] of the village around it.<ref>{{cite book |author=American Battle Monuments Commission |author-link=American Battle Monuments Commission |title=Montfaucon Monument |url=https://www.abmc.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Montfaucon%20508_3-26-2015.pdf }} {{PD-notice}}</ref><!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please do not change the first paragraph without prior consensus, see [[Talk:Meuse-Argonne American Memorial]]. Thank you. -->

== Description ==
The Meuse-Argonne American Memorial is made of a large [[Doric order|Doric]]-style granite column, on top of which stands a statue symbolizing liberty. The memorial was built near the ruins of the ancient village, destroyed during World War I. On the walls of the ''foyer'' is an account of the [[Offensive (military)|offensive]]. It pays homage to the troops who served there. The observation platform of the memorial can be reached by ascending 234 stairs, and offers an excellent view of the battlefield.

== Inauguration ==
The memorial was unveiled on August 1, 1937, in the presence of the President of the French Republic, [[Albert Lebrun]]. [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], then the President of the United States, delivered a radio address for the ceremony from [[Washington, D.C.]]

==Gallery==
<gallery widths=200px heights=200px>
Image:MontfauconArgonne081710.JPG|Ruined church at Montfaucon-d'Argonne directly behind the monument. The blocky structure on the left is a German World War I observation post.
File:Verdun - Montfaucon - American Cimetery - Morgen.JPG| Verdun, Montfaucon, American Monument, American Cemetery
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery]]
* [[Meuse-Argonne Offensive]]
* [[World War I memorials]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite speech |last=Roosevelt |first=Franklin D. |author-link=Franklin D. Roosevelt |url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15440 |title=Radio Address on the Dedication of the American Monument at Montfaucon, France |date=August 1, 1937 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
<!--
  ===============================================================================
   WIKIPEDIA IS NOT A COLLECTION OF LINKS. Only a limited number of new links
   should be added to this article. PLEASE DO NOT ADD external links to sites with
   information already in the article or in its sources.

   See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for further details
  ===============================================================================
-->
; Official
* {{Official website|https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/montfaucon-american-monument#.Wul9wGcUmpp}}
; General information
* [https://www.abmc.gov/multimedia/videos/montfaucon-american-monument-dedication-1937 Montfaucon American Monument Dedication in 1937] at [[American Battle Monuments Commission]]
<!-- EDITORS NOTE: Please follow the [[WP:EL]] guideline where possible and consider discussing on the talk page. Thank you. -->

{{World War I War Memorials in France}}
{{Portal bar|Architecture|France|United States}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meuse-Argonne American Memorial}}
[[Category:1937 establishments in France]]
[[Category:1937 sculptures]]
[[Category:Aftermath of World War I in France]]
[[Category:American Battle Monuments Commission]]
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1937]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Meuse (department)]]
[[Category:First United States Army]]
[[Category:History of Meuse (department)]]
[[Category:John Russell Pope buildings]]
[[Category:Protected areas of France]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Meuse (department)]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in France]]
[[Category:Meuse–Argonne offensive]]
[[Category:Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt]]