By this point, the German Army was capable really of only defensive operations, and only barely so, without the smattering of veterans in the ranks to steel the fragile and under-trained forces now being sent into battle. Further, the Spring Offensives had culled the most experienced men out of the German army as they had been sent to the now-decimated assault battalions that had led the way in the Spring. There were simply too many fires to put out all at once for the Army, and the number of men trickling in as replacements was barely sufficient, and wholly incapable of forming any sort of meaningful, new, formations. On the run since the start of the Hundred Days Offensive, with French, British, and American armies in a consistent, general offensives pushing against the beleaguered Germans, and their reserves spent, there was no way for the Germans to mass the necessary military weight behind any sector of the front so they could land a decisive blow. However, this victory could not come from the German Army. This had severely depleted German front-line forces and, with manpower starting to run out and with political unrest at home exacerbated by famine as well ever-rising food prices, some sort of prestige-solution to victory had to be arranged. However, success was along a limited front in Michael, and follow-up offensives (Georgette, as well as Blücher-Yorck, and Gneisenau) along the northern sectors of the front were supposed to exploit supposed weaknesses in the Allied lines caused by pressure of the main attacks as well as draw enemy divisions out of the main sector of the front (where Michael had been conducted) in hopes that further offensives in that sector could exploit and further weaken the Allied forces. Initially, the series of operations was successful, with Michael essentially undoing many of the British gains from the Somme in 1916. Victory had essentially been written off as these battles were the last vestiges of German offensive strength were used up. The current rotation is:Įssentially, the mutinies in Kiel and Wilhelmshaven came about through suicidal orders, low morale, and the fever-dream desire of the Germans to try and force a (more) favorable set of terms to their armistice.Īfter the failure of the Spring Offensives (Operation Michael, as well as the follow-up offensives and battles on the Lys, Aisne, Metz, and Second Marne), it was generally agreed by almost everyone in Germany that the war was going to end. Previous AMAs | Previous Roundtables Featuresįeature posts are posted weekly. May 25th | Panel AMA with /r/AskBibleScholars Please Subscribe to our Google Calendar for Upcoming AMAs and Events To nominate someone else as a Quality Contributor, message the mods. Our flaired users have detailed knowledge of their historical specialty and a proven record of excellent contributions to /r/AskHistorians. Please Read and Understand the Rules Before Contributing. Report Comments That Break Reddiquette or the Subreddit Rules. Serious On-Topic Comments Only: No Jokes, Anecdotes, Clutter, or other Digressions. Provide Primary and Secondary Sources If Asked. Write Original, In-Depth and Comprehensive Answers, Using Good Historical Practices. Questions should be clear and specific in what they ask, and should be able to get detailed answers from historians whose expertise is likely to be in particular times and places. Nothing Less Than 20 Years Old, and Don't Soapbox. Be Nice: No Racism, Bigotry, or Offensive Behavior. Downvote and Report comments that are unhelpful or grossly off-topic.Upvote informative, well sourced answers.New to /r/AskHistorians? Please read our subreddit rules and FAQ before posting! Apply for Flair This Week's Theme is Indigenous Nations.
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