HY 357 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Hundred Days Offensive, Infiltration Tactics, Lightning
17 Nov 2016
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Strategy and politics: the nivelle offensive: joffre because of failures was replaced by nivelle, nivelle was an overconfident fool. Promised that he was going to launch yet another grand offensive and end the war: politicians believe this offensive is foolish and need to look at their strategy. But there is a cabinet reshuffle with new president and minister of war. Cannot dismiss nivelle yet because he has not failed yet, do not have the political capital to fire the guy because they have just taken office. Rupture battalions and tactical innovation: believes through a series of innovations can beat german trenches. Way they have been attacking has not been sufficient, cannot smother enemy machine guns with a wall of flesh rupture battalions=infiltration tactics, elite units. Specially designed units to bypass german units. Vastly overestimated the guns fire power, needed 900 guns only had 400: operational security is poor, the germans have a copy of the plan.
