Читать книгу Craven's Part in the Great War - John T. Clayton - Страница 8

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One of the most noted successes in 1917 was that at Cambrai on November 20th, while in October the French brought the famous ridge road, the Chemin des Dames, within their lines. “Unrestricted” U-boat warfare was commenced by the Germans early this year, and was a source of considerable anxiety to the Allies. Internally Russia was in the throes of revolution. The Czar abdicated on March 15th and a republic was proclaimed on September 15th. This was followed by the Bolshevist coup d’état on November 8th, and an armistice on the Russian front on December 6th.

The winter of 1917–1918 was in the nature of the calm which precedes the storm. On March 21st, the Boche made his last desperate bid for victory, attacking on a 50-mile front between the Scarpe and the Oise. Results unlooked for by the Allies were the outcome. Peronne was captured in three days, and on March 25th the Germans had reached their original line of July, 1916, on this sector. This, for the Allies, was the blackest moment of the war, inasmuch as it brought within the range of possibility the achievement by the enemy of his original plan—the capture of the Channel ports and the consequent domination of British shores.

The Allies prepared for a great effort. In England the military age was raised to 51; General Foch was appointed commander-in-chief of the Allied armies; there were effective naval raids on Zeebrugge and Ostend; a million Americans were shipped to France; and by the beginning of June the German advance had been checked.