Editing Western Front (World War I) (section)

=== German spring offensives ===
{{Main|German spring offensive}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-P1013-316, Westfront, deutscher Panzer in Roye.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|[[A7V|German tank]] in [[Roye, Somme|Roye]], 21 March 1918]]
[[Operation Michael]], the first of the [[German spring offensive]]s, very nearly succeeded in driving the entente armies apart, advancing to within shelling distance of Paris for the first time since 1914.{{sfn|Marshall|1964|pp=353–357}} As a result of the battle, the entente agreed on unity of command. General [[Ferdinand Foch]] was appointed commander of all entente forces in France. The unified entente were better able to respond to each of the German drives and the offensive turned into a battle of attrition.{{sfn|Baldwin|1962|pp=141–143}} In May, the American divisions also began to play an increasing role, winning their first victory in the [[Battle of Cantigny]]. By summer, between 250,000 and 300,000 American soldiers were arriving every month.{{sfn|Baldwin|1962|p=146}} A total of 2.1&nbsp;million American troops would be deployed on this front before the war came to an end.{{sfn|Tucker|Roberts|2005|p=1254}} The rapidly increasing American presence served as a counter for the large numbers of redeployed German forces.{{sfn|Baldwin|1962|p=146}}