The Second Battle of the Marne Luke Boyer Gianna Franzi Lily Liu Vikram Tirumalai

THESIS: ‘Murica The American involvement in the Second Battle of Marne boosted the Allies’ morale and refreshed their supply of soldiers—whereas the Germans were exhausted, sick, deserting the front lines, and sharing information with the Allies—thus allowing the Allies to defeat the Central Powers and reach resolution with the Treaty of Versailles, basically screwing Germany over and inciting inner political and social unrest that ultimately led to WW2.

Overview The Second Battle of the Marne in 1918: last turning point in World War I and led to Allied victory against Germany Americans came to the rescue and prevented Germany from further advancing Germans had been on the offensive for the entirety of the war, this would now change. Both sides suffered heavy casualties but the Allies pulled through and caused to Germans to retreat for the first time in the war. first Allied offensive victory of 1918

Important People General Erich Ludendorff - commander of the German army. Engineered the war plan and fine-tuned the Schlieffen plan. General Ferdinand Foch - French military commander, united the allied forces (United States, Italy, Britain, and France) and led them to victory at the Second Battle of the Marne.

AMERICA GETS INVOLVED The Two Sides: Allies: France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, Romania, Greece, Serbia and the USA Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria Germans acting under unrestricted submarine warfare around British Isles→ attacked American ships, many died The Rape of Belgium→ anti-German media coverage→ spread to the U.S. and outraged Americans, inciting them to join the war.

TURNING THE TIDES -General Erich Ludendorff + Germans vs. General Ferdinand Foch + Allies @ Marne River in France -Allies countered German offense at Reims -Germans tried to cross the Marne but the American 38th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division (“The Rock of Marne”) held them off

PEACE? - June 28th, 1919 - Treaty of Versailles, Allies’ Victory → War Guilt Clause: -Germany=responsible → had to pay reparations for all damage → demilitarized Germany → greatly reduced German territory (Alsace and Lorraine, parts of Prussia) → Rhineland became a buffer between France and Germany → humiliated, weak → GERMAN TURMOIL (Independent Social Democratic Party vs. moderates) → Rise of Hitler→ WWII

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