German commander Ludendorff launched what would be the last German offensive of the First World War against the French either side of Reims in the Second Battle of the Marne. The attack was designed as a major diversion to draw troops away from Flanders for what would be Ludendorff’s main objective, a decisive victory over the British, for defeating the Allies. The German failure to break through, or to destroy the Allied armies in the field at the Marne, allowed Ferdinand Foch, the Allied Supreme Commander, to proceed with the planned major counter offensive three days later. On the 18th July 1918 twenty-four French divisions, including the American 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions 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. Victory meant that the Allies were now positioned to move on to the decisive offensive being planned for Amiens.
Following the Twenty-Second 