The 'Hundred Days' campaign of 1918 remains a neglected aspect of the First World War. Why was the German army defeated on the Western Front? Did its morale collapse or was it beaten by the improved military effectiveness of a British army which had climbed a painful 'learning curve' towards modern combined arms warfare? This revealing insight into the crucial final months of the First World War uses state-of-the-art methodology to present a rounded case study of the ability of both armies to adapt to the changing realities they faced. Jonathan Boff draws on both British and German archival sources, some of them previously unseen, to examine how representative armies fought during the 'Hundred Days' campaign. Assessing how far the application of modern warfare underpinned the British army's part in the Allied victory, the book highlights the complexity of modern warfare and the role of organisational behaviour within it.
• Innovative comparative approach allows readers to consider both sides of the war on the Western Front • Draws attention to the 'Hundred Days' campaign in the wider context of the war as a whole • Provides an illuminating new case study for students of organisational behaviour and innovation
Contents
Introduction: 'An Unknown Story'; 1. 'The Advance to Victory'; 2. Manpower and training; 3. Materialschlacht; 4. Morale; 5. British tactics: 'The True Elixir'; 6. The German tactical response; 7. British operations and command; 8. The failure of German command; Conclusion: winning and losing on the Western Front.
Reviews
'A well-written and well-researched book that deserves a wider audience.' The Times
'… a welcome addition to the literature and a must read for scholars of the First World War as well as scholars interested in the question of why some armies succeed and others fail.' Michael Neiberg, Journal of Military History
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