NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Third Battle of the Aisne

The Third Battle of the Aisne was a German offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht, launched by the Germans in the spring and summer of 1918. World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Aisne is a river in France, tributary of the river Oise. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Bayview Secondary School ROXS! The term German Empire commonly refers to Germany, from its consolidation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II on November 9, 1918. ... General Erich Ludendorff Erich Ludendorff (sometimes given incorrectly as Erich von Ludendorff) (April 9, 1865 â€“ December 20, 1937, Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany) was a German Army officer, noted as a general during World War I. Ludendorff was born in Kruszewnia near Posen, Prussia (now PoznaÅ„, Poland). ... Crown Prince Wilhelm Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (6 May 1882 - 20 July 1951), Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Kronprinz von Preussen, was born 6 May 1882 at Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Germany. ... The Battle of the Aisne is the name of three battles fought along the Aisne River in northern France during the First World War. ... World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ... The Chemin des Dames, literally, the Ladies Way, was a pleasure walk along a ridge offering views across the Aisne and the surrounding landscape, and designated by the French king, Louis XV for the amusement of his daughters. ... Officers of the American Expeditionary Force and the Baker mission The American Expeditionary Force or AEF was the United States military force in World War I. The AEF helped the French defend the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive in May. ... The Spring Offensive (Operation Michael) was a German offensive along the Western Front during the First World War which marked the deepest advance by any side since 1914. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Background

The massive surprise attack (named Blucher-Yorck after two Prussian generals of the Napoleonic Wars ) lasted from 27 May until 6 June 1918 and was the first full-scale German offensive following the Lys Offensive in Flanders in April. The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule of France. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent community of the federal Belgian state through its social and political organisations, and through the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government and Flemish... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ...

The Germans had held the Chemin des Dames Ridge from the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914 to 1917, when General Mangin captured it during the Second Battle of the Aisne (in the Nivelle Offensive). The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German 1st army (led by Alexander von Kluck) & 2nd army (led by Karl von Bulow) as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September. ... 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Charles Mangin (1866-1925) was a French military officer during World War I. A graduate of Saint-Cyr, Mangin served in the Sudan (under Jean Marchand) and in French North Africa before serving in WWI. During WWI, he had well-known victories at Charleroi and then Verdun, however, his reputation... The Second Battle of the Aisne, in 1917 was the main action of the Allied Nivelle Offensive during World War I. It ended in disaster for both the French army and its commander Robert Nivelle, destroying his career and sparking widespread mutiny in the army. ... The Nivelle Offensive was a 1917 Allied attack on the Western Front in World War I. The offensive was a costly failure. ...

Operation Blucher-Yorck was planned primarily by Erich Ludendorff, who was certain that success at the Aisne would lead the German armies to within striking distance of Paris. Ludendorff believed that this, in turn, would cause the Allies to move forces from Flanders to help defend the French capital, allowing the Germans to continue their Flanders offensive with greater ease. Thus, the Aisne drive was to be essentially a large diversionary attack. General Erich Ludendorff Erich Ludendorff (sometimes given incorrectly as Erich von Ludendorff) (April 9, 1865 â€“ December 20, 1937, Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany) was a German Army officer, noted as a general during World War I. Ludendorff was born in Kruszewnia near Posen, Prussia (now PoznaÅ„, Poland). ... Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming), French: Flandre(s), (flamand, flamand), German: Flandern, (flÃ¤misch, Flame) has two main designations: a constituent community of the federal Belgian state through its social and political organisations, and through the institutions of the Flemish Community (with its own Flemish government and Flemish...

The defence of the Aisne area was in the hands of General Denis Auguste Duchene, commander of the French 6th army; in addition, four divisions of the British IX Corps, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Hamilton Gordon, held the Chemin des Dames Ridge. The British IX Corps was an army corps formation that existed during World War I and World War II. World War I The IX Corps was originally formed in England in 1915 in readiness to make a new landing at Suvla during the Battle of Gallipoli. ... The Chemin des Dames, literally, the Ladies Way, was a pleasure walk along a ridge offering views across the Aisne and the surrounding landscape, and designated by the French king, Louis XV for the amusement of his daughters. ...

Battle

On the morning of 27 May 1918, the Germans began a bombardment (firewaltz) of the Allied front lines with over 4,000 artillery pieces. The British suffered heavy losses, due to the fact that Duchene had ordered them to mass together in the front trenches. Huddled together, they made easy artillery targets. May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of fortifications dug into the ground, facing each other. ...

The bombardment was followed by a poison gas drop. Once the gas had lifted the main infantry assault by 17 German Sturmtruppen divisions, led by Crown Prince Wilhelm, the eldest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately commenced. Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ... The term Stormtrooper refers to special military troops which were formed in the last year of World War I as the German army developed new methods of attacking enemy trenches, called infiltration tactics. Men trained in these methods were known as Sturmmann (Stormtroopers), formed into companies of Sturmtruppen (Storm Units). ... Crown Prince Wilhelm Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (6 May 1882 - 20 July 1951), Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Kronprinz von Preussen, was born 6 May 1882 at Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Germany. ... Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern (January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia from 1888 - 1918. ...

Taken completely by surprise and with their defences spread thin, the Allies were unable to stop the attack and the German army advanced through a 40 km gap in the Allied lines. Reaching the Aisne in under six hours, the Germans smashed through eight Allied divisions on a line between Reims and Soissons, pushing the Allies back to the river Vesle and gaining an extra 15 km of territory by nightfall. Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... Location within France Reims (English traditionally Rheims) (pronounced in French) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. ... The city of Soissons in the Aisne dÃ©partement, Picardie, France on the Aisne River is about 60 miles northeast of Paris and is one of the most ancient cities of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones. ...

Victory seemed near for the Germans, who had captured over just over 50,000 Allied soldiers and well over 800 guns by 30 May 1918. But after having advanced within 56 km of Paris on 3 June, the German armies were beset by numerous problems, including supply shortages, fatigue, lack of reserves and many casualties along with counter-attacks by and stiff resistance from newly arrived American divisions, who engaged them in the Battles of Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... The Battle of Chateau Thierry was fought on July 18, 1918. ... The Battle of Belleau Wood was a battle of the first World War. ...

On 6 June 1918, following many successful Allied counter-attacks, the German advance halted on the Marne, much as the "Georgette" and "Michael" offensives had in April and March of that year. June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Marne is a region in France. ...

Aftermath

The French had suffered over 98,000 casualties and the British around 29,000. German losses were nearly as great if not slightly heavier. Duchene was sacked by French Commander-in-Chief Henri-Philippe Petain for his poor handling of the British and French troops. The Americans had arrived and proven themselves in combat for the first time in the war. World War II and Vichy France After the fall of France during World War II, in the spring of 1940, the Chamber of Deputies appointed P tain as Prime Minister of France and granted him extraordinary powers. ...

Ludendorff, encouraged by the gains of Blucher-Yorck, would launch further offensives cumulating in the Second Battle of the Marne. The Second Battle of the Marne, was a World War I battle fought from July 15 to July 18, 1918 near the Marne River. ...

Contents

Background

Battle

Aftermath

See Also