The Results of the Allies’ Counter-Offensive.
In three weeks the Germans had lost all their gains of May 27th to July 15th, the Crown Prince’s salient made at terrible cost was flattened out, while the Allies’ captures included more than 18,000 German prisoners and 700 guns.
The French reserves, so far from being entirely used to make good the losses in the ranks of the line troops, as the German High Command believed, had taken the counter-offensive. Only a very small portion (two divisions) of the British reserves had taken part in the battle. Conversely, the Bavarian reserves had been rushed up from the region of Lille to the Aisne. Finally, whilst Ludendorff was compelled to give up his projected offensive in Flanders, Foch began a new battle between the Oise and the sea. The second battle of the Marne had thus far-reaching consequences. From that time until the Armistice, when they capitulated, the Germans were everywhere out-manœuvred and beaten.
In the course of the battle the aeroplanes and tanks vied with the infantry in valour and intrepidity. From July 15 to 20, French, British and American aviators attacked the enemy unceasingly, flying in all weathers, sometimes in violent storms, as on July 17. In less than a week, in addition to the losses inflicted on the enemy infantry and artillery, the Allied aviation services destroyed or drove down out of control 137 German aeroplanes and 23 observation balloons, besides dropping 222 tons of bombs on enemy objectives.
The French tanks, on their side, performed wonders, causing great havoc and spreading demoralisation in the enemy ranks.
One disabled tank-driver (Corporal Chevrel) surrounded by Germans held out for thirty-six hours, while another (Corporal Cellier), with the help of fifteen Americans, captured 700 Germans, including fourteen officers and a colonel, and two guns.
