Third Battle of the Aisne

Third Battle of the Aisne
Part of the Western Front of World War I
The Western Front, July 1918
Date 27 May – 6 June 1918 Location Aisne River near Paris, France 49°23′N 3°44′E / 49.383°N 3.733°E / 49.383; 3.733Coordinates: 49°23′N 3°44′E / 49.383°N 3.733°E / 49.383; 3.733 Result German advance halted after initial gains
Belligerents
France  United Kingdom  United States	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Denis Auguste Duchêne Alexander Hamilton-Gordon	Erich Ludendorff Crown Prince Wilhelm
Strength
French 6th Army, British IX Corps and later 2 American Divisions	German 1st and 7th Armies (over 20 divisions and 4,000 artillery guns)
Casualties and losses
127,000	130,000

The Third Battle of the Aisne (French: 3e Bataille de L'Aisne) was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Forces arrived completely in France. It was one of a series of offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht, launched by the Germans in the spring and summer of 1918.

The massive surprise attack (named Blücher-Yorck after two Prussian generals of the Napoleonic Wars) lasted from 27 May until 4 June 1918 and was the first full-scale German offensive following the Lys Offensive in Flanders in April.

The Germans held the Chemin des Dames Ridge from the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914 to 1917, when General Mangin captured it during the Second Battle of the Aisne (in the Nivelle Offensive).

Operation Blücher-Yorck was planned primarily by Erich Ludendorff, who was certain that success at the Aisne would lead the German armies to within striking distance of Paris. Ludendorff, who saw the British Expeditionary Force as the main threat, believed that this, in turn, would cause the Allies to move forces from Flanders to help defend the French capital, allowing the Germans to continue their Flanders offensive with greater ease. Thus, the Aisne drive was to be essentially a large diversionary attack.

The defense of the Aisne area was in the hands of General Denis Auguste Duchêne, commander of the French Sixth Army. In addition, four divisions of the British IX Corps, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Hamilton-Gordon, held the Chemin des Dames Ridge; they had been posted there to rest and refit after surviving the "Michael" battle.

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