The Second Battle of the Marne

Michael S. Neiberg (Author)

9780253351463

Hardback, published 9 April 2008

232 pages, 29 b&w photos, 6 maps
23.5 x 15.6 x 1.9 cm, 0.508 kg

". . . a refreshing monographic study of an often-neglected battle near the end of an equally overlooked conflict. Good Great War studies are a rarity, and English-language studies of this six-week turning point have been evern rarer. The author fills these voids on both counts. Spring 2009"—Parameters
"The Second Battle of the Marne is clearly and poignantly written and based throughout on the most recent research. The spirited writing is supported by six excellent maps and twenty-eight well-captioned photographs.Vol. 42, 2009"—Central European History
"[T]his is a first-rate work of analysis, an original contribution to the study of the Western Front."—The Listening Post
"In all, this is a first-rate work of analysis and an original contribution to the study of the Western Front.August/September 2008"—Len Shurtleff, Stand To!
"Neiberg's re-casting of this epic battle and its importance in the war presents a valuable new perspective. His analysis, particularly of operational design and the French Army and its leadership, will give many readers a new understanding of this pivotal period during World War I.November-December 2008"—LTC Thomas G. Meara, USA, Retired, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
"This is well worth the read and there is much to consider here. January 2009"—Journal of Military History
"There is very little on the French in the March offensive in any language: how they fought, what they had learned, or not learned, from the past four years. This is an original contribution. I'm only sorry I didn't get the idea first."—Dennis Showalter, author of Patton and Rommel

The First Battle of the Marne produced the so-called Miracle of the Marne, when French and British forces stopped the initial German drive on Paris in 1914. Hundreds of thousands of casualties later, with opposing forces still dug into trench lines, the Germans tried again to push their way to Paris and to victory. The Second Battle of the Marne (July 15 to August 9, 1918) marks the point at which the Allied armies stopped the massive German Ludendorff Offensives and turned to offensive operations themselves. The Germans never again came as close to Paris nor resumed the offensive. The battle was one of the first large multinational battles fought by the Allies since the assumption of supreme command by French general Ferdinand Foch. It marks the only time the French, American, and British forces fought together in one battle. A superb account of the bloody events of those fateful days, this book sheds new light on a critically important 20th-century battle.

Contents
List of Maps
Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Two Marnes
1. Jerusalem in the Marne Valley
2. Marching toward the Marne
3. German Designs on the Marne
4. The Peace Offensive
5. Turning the Tide of the War
6. The Allies Strike, July 18–21
7. The Battle of Tardenois, July 22–26
8. The Final Phase, July 27–August 9
Conclusion: Honoring Foch
Notes
Bibliography
Index