ARLINGTON, Va. - s4story -- by Michael F. Bishop for David Bruce Smith's Grateful American Book Prize

The Spring Offensive of 1918: Germany's Last Chance to Win the Great War

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, won a second term in 1916—in part—on the wave of a slogan, "He Kept Us Out of War." The Great War that had engulfed Europe in 1914 horrified most Americans, many of whom had fled the Old World and its ancient conflicts. But less than a month after his second inauguration, Wilson stood before Congress on April 2, 1917, and asked for a declaration of war against Germany; they had foolishly declared a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, and conspired with Mexico to sever Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the United States, as the mighty American economic and military machine geared up for war.

The already knocked about Germany could hardly tolerate a retaliatory wave of American troops, but it had resolved to "pounce" before soldiers could be fully deployed. The Russian Revolution—and its subsequent withdrawal from the war—readied the German commanders to shift 50 divisions from the Eastern to the Western Front, bolster their resources, and—on March 21, 1918—set the Spring Offensive into motion.

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At first, America's bit in countering the aggressive strategy was limited; with only a small number of combat-ready troops, the Germans succeeded in pushing the Allied lines back dozens of miles while the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) mobilized, and the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions were set up to buttress the French and British positions.

America's presence was burgeoning, by the summer, and Germany's hold was crumbling from overstretched supply lines, heavy casualties, and exhaustion; daily arrivals of more than 10,000 U.S. troops flowed into France; the May 1918 Battle of Cantigny, flamed the Allies' success, and so did the larger victories at the Second Battle of the Marne; by July Germany's monstrous momentum was muted, and the Allies achieved victory in November.

For more information about the America's part in the "Offensive," the Grateful American Book Prize recommends Edward G. Lengel's Thunder and Flames: Americans in the Crucible of Combat, 1917-1918.

History Matters is a feature courtesy of the Grateful American Book Prize. For more book recommendations and information about the annual award visit https://gratefulamericanbookprize.org/.