Ludendorff spring offensive and hundred days

Question 1

Ludendorffs plan?

Answer 1

• germany had opportunity to make breakthrough with russia out of war and american troops yet to arrive
• plan was to attack at several points along french and british lines - main attack to be at Arras
• 5 hour artillery bombardment - hurrican bombardment - followed by ground attack by specially trained stormtroopers
• Ludendorff hoped confusion caused by initial attack would allow for further attacks - british would be surrounded and would surrender - F would surrender unable to continue with British support

Question 2

Attack?

Answer 2

• Artillery bonbardment began at 4:40 am on 21 march 1918 - area of 150 square miles hit by one million shells in 5 hours -followed by release of mustard gas
• highly trained stormtroopers caused chaos in british line - thousands fled or surrendered - by end of first day, 20,000 B soldiers dead, 35,000 wounded - 21,000 prisoner
• stalemate on western front broken
• advance continued for new few weeks - germans pushed 60km into british territory - took control of area around river somme
• success came at heavy price - 220,000 germans killed - few reserves to replace them - rapid advance of stormtroopers meant it was hard to get supplies to them - by end of may, advance had slowed

Question 3

Allied response?

Answer 3

• B and F troops came together under Foch in united command structure
• in places, G troops ahd advanced further into allied territory than others - salients attacked from three sides
• by June, american soldiers were arriving in large numbers (50,000 per week)
• final attack by germans on 15 July was disaster - allied counter attack pushed them back to river marne

Question 4

Hundred days?

Answer 4

• with fresh american reinforcements - Foch launches series of attacks designed to achieve final victory
• attacks began 8 august 1918 at amiens - advanced deep into german territory “Black day of German army”
• series of attacks on cities of alveret, noyon and bapaume - second battle of somme - brought success to allies
• By september, German forces pushed back to 1917 hindenberg line - F and A forces launced huge attack in the Meuse-Argonne offensive - britain attacked near Ypres - early october - allies broken through and german army in full retreat - burned bridges, posioned wells