Wood, Roger A Great Storm Arising

The British Army and the German March Offensive of 1918

On 21 March 1918, Germany launched its first major offensive against the combined Anglo-French armies on the Western Front since August 1914. For both sides, this offensive was a turning point in their fortunes and in the outcome of the First World War. For the Germans, the cumulative effects of successive attacks and excessive losses meant that they were no longer able to withstand the Allied counterattack in August 1918. For the British, the offensive represented a period of extreme crisis, as the BEF came dangerously close to collapse. In terms of scale, the retreat of the British armies eclipsed the retreat of the First Army from Mons in 1914. Similarly, the number of casualties on both sides testified to the ferocity of the fighting. Despite its losses and the withdrawal of eight army corps, however, the British Army remained remarkably determined and, after stabilising the situation with the help of sufficient reserves, was ultimately able to wrest the initiative back from the enemy. A Great Storm Arising begins by examining the general context in which the offensive took place, taking into account political, economic, diplomatic and military aspects. The issues of manpower and defence in depth, which shaped Britain's response to the attack, are examined in depth. One chapter is devoted to the morale of the British armies during the retreat, while the book also considers the means by which news of the offensive was communicated to the British public. This book does not claim to be a complete chronological account of the German offensive. Rather, it uses selected case studies to examine the British Army's response to the transition from static to mobile/defensive warfare, as its tactical and organisational development was inconsistent and occasionally regressive. The case studies are drawn from both Operation Michael and the battles on the Lys and are based on specific army corps. This approach forms the basis for a comparative study. Given their significance for the outcome of the First World War, the British Army's retreat and subsequent recovery were marginalised in early historiography of the conflict. However, since John Terraine first recognised their status as one of the great dramas of the war, the German offensive has attracted the attention of a new generation of historians, whose work is reflected in a range of literature, analysis and debate. A Great Storm Arising aims to enrich this research.