War chronicle · July–November · Marne, France
The Allies strike
The German Army is near the verge of complete collapse.
The Allies are ready to unleash a massive counterattack after weathering the German’s spring onslaught. The French lead the way in the Second Battle of the Marne (18 July–5 August), with 90,000 American soldiers alongside them – of which 12,000 will be killed. This is the Americans’ first big battle. The Germans suffer 168,000 casualties, and are forced to retreat 50km.
The British follow with an attack on the Somme, the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) – another significant victory. For the first time, German soldiers surrender in their thousands after putting up little or no resistance.
By late September, the Germans retreat to their last line of defence – the Hindenburg Line. But the Allied armies are relentless. British forces, with Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand troops at the forefront, break through the Hindenburg Line in just two weeks.
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