Hundred Days Offensive

Quick Facts: Who was Hundred Days Offensive?

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Hundred Days Offensive

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The series of massive Allied offensives that decisively ended World War I in 1918.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial German Army back, undoing its gains from the German spring offensive (21 March – 18 July). The Germans retreated to the Hindenburg Line, but the Allies broke through the line with a series of victories, starting with the Battle of St Quentin Canal on 29 September. The offensive led directly to the Armistice of 11 November 1918 which ended the war with an Allied victory. The term "Hundred Days Offensive" does not refer to a planned Allied campaign, but rather the rapid series of Allied victories.

Career & Major Achievements

The offensive actually took 95 days. The German spring offensive on the Western Front had begun on 21 March 1918 with Operation Michael and had petered out by July. The German Army had advanced to the River Marne, but failed to achieve their aim of a victory that would decide the war. When the German Operation Marne-Rheims ended in July, the Allied supreme commander, Ferdinand Foch, ordered a counter-offensive, which became known as the Second Battle of the Marne. The Germans, recognizing their untenable position, withdrew from the Marne to the north.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

For this victory, Foch was granted the title Marshal of France. After the Germans had lost their forward momentum, Foch considered the time arrived for the Allies to return to the offensive. General Pershing who commanded the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) was keen to use his army as an independent force. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) had been reinforced by large numbers of troops returned from the Sinai and Palestine campaign and from the Italian front, and by replacements previously held back in Britain by Prime Minister David Lloyd George. The military planners considered a number of proposals.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1918: 1918 Milestone — The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hundred Days Offensive

True or False: “The Hundred Days Offensive was a single, meticulously planned campaign executed by the Allies from start to finish.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): It was not a planned campaign but rather a rapid series of successive Allied victories that occurred over approximately 95 days.

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