War History Summary 9 - WWI Part 15: The Hundred Days Offensive and the German Retreat

In August 1918, the Allied forces launched a large-scale counteroffensive on the Western Front. Starting with the Battle of Amiens, British, French, and American troops effectively combined tanks, aircraft, and artillery to pressure the German lines. The German army had already suffered heavy losses during the Spring Offensive, and soldier fatigue and supply shortages were severe. Under the continuous assault from the Allies, the German forces began a gradual retreat. During the so-called Hundred Days Offensive, which lasted from August to November, the Allies recaptured key areas on the Western Front and pushed the German army back. The American Expeditionary Forces also rapidly increased in size, playing a crucial role on the front. Internally, doubts grew within Germany about the possibility of continuing the war, exacerbated by economic hardship and political instability alongside military defeats. Allied nations like Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria-Hungary also successively withdrew from the war. Germany found itself in a situation where continuing the war was unsustainable, leading them to prepare for armistice negotiations.