Editing Second Battle of the Marne (section)

==Allied counter-offensive==
{{Main|Battle of Soissons (1918)}}
[[File:2ndBattleOfTheMarne.jpg|thumb|The Allied counter-offensive.]]

The German failure to break through, or to destroy the Allied armies in the field, allowed [[Ferdinand Foch]], the Allied Supreme Commander, to proceed with the planned major counteroffensive on 18 July; 24 French divisions, including the American [[92nd Infantry Division (United States)|92nd]] and [[93rd Infantry Division (United States)|93rd Infantry Division]]s under French command, joined by other Allied troops, including eight large American divisions under American command and 350 tanks attacked the recently formed German salient.

The Allied preparation was very important in countering the German offensive. It was believed that the Allies had the complete picture of the German offensive in terms of intentions and capabilities. The Allies knew the key points of the German plan down to the minute.<ref>[[Michael S. Neiberg]]. ''The Second Battle of the Marne'', 2008, p.  91</ref> There is a legend, possibly true, that engineer Cpt. Hunter Grant, along with the help of engagement coordinator and engineer Cpt. Page, devised a deceptive ruse. A briefcase with false plans for an American countererattack was handcuffed to a man who had died of pneumonia and placed in a vehicle which appeared to have run off the road at a German-controlled bridge. The Germans, on finding and being taken in by these plans, then adjusted their attack to thwart the false Allied plan. Consequently, the French and American forces led by Foch were able to conduct a different attack on exposed parts of the enemy lines, leaving the Germans with no choice but to retreat. This engagement marked the beginning of a German withdrawal that was never effectively reversed. In September nine American divisions (about 243,000 men) joined four French divisions to [[Battle of Saint-Mihiel|push the Germans from the St. Mihiel salient]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Kennedy|first=David|title=The American pageant: a history of the American people|year=2008|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-547-16654-4|page=708}}</ref>

Earlier, in May, Foch had spotted flaws in the German offensives.<ref name=Neiberg-p7>Neiberg, p. 7</ref> The force that defeated the German offensive was mainly French, with American, British and Italian support. Co-ordinating this counter-attack would be a major problem as Foch had to work with "four national commanders but without any real authority to issue order under his own name ... they would have to fight as a combined force and to overcome the major problems of different languages, cultures, doctrines and fighting styles."<ref name=Neiberg-p7/> However, the presence of fresh American troops, unbroken by years of war, significantly bolstered Allied resistance to the German offensive{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}. [[Floyd Gibbons]] wrote about the American troops, saying, "I never saw men charge to their death with finer spirit."<ref>Byron Farwell, ''Over There: The United States in the Great War'', p. 169.</ref>

[[File:The School and Belleau Woods.jpg|thumb|Postcard showing the ruins of the village of [[Chateau-Thierry]] in 1918.]]

On 19 July, the Italian Corps lost 9,334 officers and men out of a total fighting strength of about 24,000 during a German assault on their positions, successfully stopping the German advance. [[Henri Mathias Berthelot]] rushed two newly arrived British infantry divisions, the [[51st (Highland) Division|51st (Highland)]] and [[62nd (2nd West Riding) Division|62nd (West Riding)]],<ref>Everard Wyrall, ''The History of the 62nd'' (West Riding) Division 1914–1919 (undated but about 1920–25. See 62 Div external link below).</ref> alongside the Italians straight into attack down the [[Ardre (river)|Ardre]] Valley (the '''Battle of Tardenois''' ({{langx|fr|Bataille du Tardenois}}) – named after the surrounding [[Tardenois]] plain).

The Germans ordered a retreat on 20 July and were forced back to the positions from which they had started their [[German spring offensive|Spring Offensive]]. They strengthened their flank positions opposite the Allied pincers and on the 22nd, Ludendorff ordered to take up a line from the upper [[Ourcq]] to [[Marfaux]].

Costly Allied assaults continued for minimal gains. By 27 July, the Germans had withdrawn their center behind [[Fère-en-Tardenois]] and had completed an alternative rail link. The Germans retained [[Soissons]] in the west.

On 1 August, French and British divisions of General [[Charles Mangin]]'s [[Tenth Army (France)|Tenth Army]] renewed the attack, advancing to a depth of nearly {{convert|5|mi|km}}. The Allied counterattack petered out on 6 August in the face of German offensives. By this stage, the salient had been reduced and the Germans had been forced back to a line running along the [[Aisne (river)|Aisne]] and [[Vesle]] Rivers; the front had been shortened by {{convert|28|mi|km}}.