The German Army In The Spring Offensives 1917 Arras Aisne Champagne I Jack Sheldon by Jack Sheldon 9781783463459, 1783463457 instant download after payment.

The German withdrawal to the reinforced defensive positions of the 'Hindenburg Line' in March 1917 forced the new French CinC General Nivelle to do an immediate rethink. The French instead embarked on a major attack in the Aisne area and along the Chemin des Dames, while British and Commonwealth forces conducted large scale diversionary operations in and around Arras in direct support of the French effort. The French suffered disastrously and, rendered incapable of further offensive operations, it now fell onto the British and Commonwealth forces to try to keep up the pressure upon the German frontlines alone. 

The cost that they paid, in particular the Canadian and Australian formations who bore the brunt of many of these battles, were terrible with whole divisions and battalions of men being wiped out for very little gain.
This latest work by the newly acknowledged expert Jack Sheldon describes those terrible events of Spring 1917, where things deteriorated to such a degree that French units refused orders to advance and mutinied against their commandeers (even firing on them) and British and Commonwealth forces also mutinied at the Etapes Training Camp over conditions after a soldier was accidentally killed. 

This was truly the nadir of Allied fortunes in the entire war.

However from the German defenders perspective this was probably the closest they ever came to winning the war. 

Among the details covered in this history are the methods the Germans used to smash the French attacks, Oberst Fritz von Lossberg's inspired transformation of the Arras frontline defences and the bitterly fought  battles around Monchy Le Preun, the Roeux Chemical works and the Australian Infantry's valiant efforts at Bullecourt. 

The successful capture of Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Army is also detailed within.