The Second Marne: Germany's Last Gamble
In the summer of 1918, Germany threw its final offensive at the Marne and instead triggered the collapse of its entire army.
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By mid-1918, Russia was out of the war and Germany transferred millions of troops west for one final blow before American numbers became overwhelming. The target was again the Marne, east of Paris.
The initial German advance stalled against improving Allied defenses and the arrival of U.S. forces. Within days, the Allies counterattacked under a unified command led by Marshal Foch.
The German offensive collapsed. General Ludendorff later called August 8 the 'black day of the German Army.' From the Marne, the Central Powers were pushed steadily back to defeat.
"Ludendorff called it the black day of the German Army. The last offensive failed, and the long retreat home began."
The failure of the Second Marne marked the start of the Hundred Days Offensive, a relentless Allied push that ended the war on November 11, 1918. Fresh American divisions played a decisive role, confirming the United States as the war's kingmaker.
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One Last Throw
Germany gambled everything on 1918, knowing that each month brought more American troops. The Marne offensive was the last roll of the dice and it came up empty.
The American Factor
Fresh, energetic U.S. divisions helped plug the line and then exploit the breakthrough. Their presence transformed the strategic math in the Allies' favor.
The Beginning of the End
The Second Marne opened the Hundred Days Offensive. By November, the German Army was in full retreat and the Kaiser's government was negotiating armistice.