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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
Occupation of Germany
The Allies' armies paused on the armistice line for
almost six days, ostensibly to allow the Germans time to begin an orderly
withdrawal, but also to permit the solution of their own logistical
problems. Early on November 17, the movement toward Germany began. The
advance was conducted slowly and without enemy interference; only about
one fourth of the Allied armies participated. Nevertheless, the general
advance was almost halted in early December because supply trains had
fallen far behind schedule. In addition to supplying the troops, it
was now necessary to provide food for the millions of civilians' in
the liberated areas, who were on the verge of starvation. Moreover,
the Germans released large numbers of prisoners as they withdrew, and
these also had to be cared for.
On December 1, the Allied armies marched into Germany proper. Later
that month, in accordance with the armistice terms, bridgeheads with
a radius of 30 kilometers were established east of the Rhine around
Cologne (occupied by the British), Coblenz (occupied by the Americans),
and Mainz (occupied by the French). Subsequently the occupation forces
were reduced despite Foch's protests. The Americans withdrew the last
of their forces in January 1923; the British, in December 1929; and
the French and Belgians, in June 1930.
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