WWI: The Second Marne

By: Krishna, Taylor, Niki, Derek, and Evan

Thesis:

The allied forces of Britain, America, and France led by General Foch were able to -with the use of advanced technology and un-orthodox military tactics- tip the war and the balance of power in favor of the Allies during the Second Marne, condemning Germany’s plans of European dominance to a sepulcher; while establishing the Allied forces as a superpower.

Context: Prelude to the War • May 1918, Germany  ordered an offensive from the Chemin des

Dames towards the Marne.

•Despite the failure of his earlier Spring Offensives, General quartiermeister Erich Ludendorff continued to seek a breakthrough on the Western Front

•Believing that the decisive blow should come in Flanders, Ludendorff planned a diversionary offensive at the Marne with the goal of pulling Allied troops south from his intended target

•This plan called for an attack south through the salient caused by the Aisne Offensive of late May and early June as well as a second assault to the east of Reims.

Sides of the warAllies•Marshal Ferdinand Foch •44 French divisions •8 American divisions •4 British divisions•2 Italian divisions

Germany •General quartiermeister Erich Ludendorff•52 divisions

Ferdinand Foch

Erich Ludendorff

Look at that ‘stache

Look at that triple-chin

What happened during the battle

•In the west, Ludendorff assembled seventeen divisions of General Max von Boehm's Seventh Army and additional troops from the Ninth Army to strike at the French

•Ludendorff hoped to split the French forces in the area. •The French were assisted by approximately 85,000 Americans,

as well as the British XXII Corps•Attacking on July 15, Ludendorff assaulted Champagne•Seeing an opportunity, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Supreme

Commander of the Allied forces, ordered a large-scale counteroffensive attack for the next day, penetrating enemy forces and a catalyst for the german retreat

Impact of the battle •The French forces - assisted by the British and Americans - had

succeeded in throwing back the German offensive, recapturing lost ground in the process.  More importantly, the battle ended any hopes the Germans had of effectively bringing the war on the Western Front to an close.

•The Germans were forced to sign a humiliating treaty accepting responsibility for causing the war, as well as

- dole out large sums of money in order to compensate for war costs.

- the size of the German state was reduced, while that of Italy and France was enlarged.

- This caused Germans to be openly  hostile and  have revengeful feelings, leading to WWII.

Second Marne & The United States • First battle that the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces) were

involved in such high numbers (8 divisions)• Started America’s reputation as a major military power • Began an era in which the US would guarantee security of

Western Europe • The cost of the war was so great that England consumed all of

its credits and became heavily indebted to the United States. As a result of the war, the world's financial center shifted from England to the United States, from London to New York.

Key points to take away

• Last large scale German offensive of WWI• Considered the turning point of the first world war • Established America’s prestige as a military power• German defeat at this battle signifiy the start of the end- at the end they were forced to sign a humiliating treaty - evoked emotions of hostility and

WORLD WAR ONE AMAZINGLY FUN FACTS THAT YOU WILL LOVE AND CHERISH

1. As a result of all the men going to war, women had to take up many jobs. Women who worked on creating TNT got toxic jaundice and literally turned into Simpsons characters. The toxin turned their skin yellow.

2. Heroin was sold over the counter as cough medicine.

EVEN MORE AMAZINGLY FUN FACTS FOR YOUR BRAINS

3. France built a fake Paris to confuse German pilots. Roads were built and lit at night in order to give the impression of a city.

4. German trenches were like first class trenches. The Germans pimped out their trenches with shuttered windows and even doorbells.

5. AA Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh served in WWI on the British side

TRENCHYou’re going over the top, Pooh!

Works Cited

htp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365975/Second-Battle-of-the-Marnehttp://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007429http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005425http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/world-war-i/resources/global-effect-world-war-ihttp://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/world-war-i/resources/global-effect-world-war-ihttp://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005425http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/0/26936615

http://www.talkofweb.com/ten-shocking-world-war-1-facts-ww1/