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Western Front: 1918: The Year of Decision
Allied Final Offensive
1. Foch's
Plan
2. Operations,
September 26-October 31.
a. Southern Pincer (Meuse-Argonne)
b.Western Pincer (Cambrai-St.-Quentin)
c. Flanders offensive
d. Operations of the French Center
3. German Situation
4. Allied
Operations, November 1-11
a. Allied Attacks from the South
b. Allied Attacks from the West
5. The
Armistice
6. Occupation
of Germany
German Situation
On October 31, the Germans in the north held the line
of the Scheldt. This position had not been fortified as strongly as
the Hindenburg Line or the defenses of the Selle, for the Germans had
had great confidence in the impregnability of their forward defenses.
In the south, in front of the French Fourth and American First armies,
they still held the greater part of the formidable Kriemhilde Line and
the Bourgogne Wood, just north of the Argonne Forest. The setbacks of
the past month, however, had lowered the morale of the German troops
to the danger point. German sailors had already lost their fighting
spirit, and on November 3 they mutinied at Kiel. Within a few days revolutionary
councils of soldiers and workers, like those of the Bolsheviks in Russia,
had been established in a number of German cities. These uprisings,
combined with the collapse of Germany's allies in late October, created
serious unrest, but the military press agencies (through which all military
information now passed) continued to try to deceive the people with
favorable reports of activities at the front, describing reverses as
planned withdrawals to stronger positions.
Nevertheless, Ludendorff was confident of German capabilities
to effect an orderly withdrawal to the line of the Meuse, using the
time thus gained to secure better armistice terms. President Wilson's
reply to the German request for an armistice had not been to Ludendorff's
liking. It had prescribed the acceptance of Wilson's Fourteen Points,
the cessation of submarine warfare, and the evacuation of all occupied
territories as preliminary requirements. The German government was convinced
of the hopelessness of the situation, however, and on October 20 signified
its acceptance of Wilson's terms. The president then referred the matter
to the Allies jointly.
The Reichstag suggested that "the defeated general
[Ludendorff] should offer his resignation and retire." Instead,
on October 25, Ludendorff issued an order of the day to the troops in
which he described the armistice terms as unacceptable. On October 27,
the kaiser informed Ludendorff of his intention to consult other generals,
whereupon Ludendorff tendered his resignation; the kaiser hastened to
accept it. Gen. Wilhelm Groener, who replaced Ludendorff, realistically
considered the lack of reserves, the morale of the troops, and the near
collapse of the railway system. Each day he reported progressive deterioration;
finally, on November 6, he urged that an armistice be effected not later
than November 9 to avoid chaos. Soldiers' councils had already been
formed at the front; and on November 8, a large group of senior officers,
called from the front for a conference with the chancellor, Prince Max
of Baden, agreed that the army could not be relied on if it were ordered
to quell uprisings at home. By now the longing among the civilian population
for peace had become the paramount consideration. Almost all Germans
turned against the kaiser as the one who prolonged the war solely to
perpetuate his regime. On November 9, Prince Max announced William's
abdication, and a German Republic was proclaimed.
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