Subheadings are arranged in alphabetical order. Page numbers in italic denote illustrations. Page numbers in bold denote information boxes.
AEF see American Expeditionary
Force
air raids 29
aircraft
in action 29, 111, 137, 171–3, 203
French 17
airships 29
Albert 135
Albert, King of the Belgians 193
Allenby, General Sir Edmund 23, 24, 26, 28, 34, 40
Allies
dissention caused by Spring Offensives 149–51, 156
final offensives 203–10, 205, 212
Group of Armies in Flanders (GAF) 186, 193, 203, 204, 206–7
moves toward unified command 138–40, 150–1
peace negotiations 201–3, 210–11, 216–18
Supreme War Council 138, 139–40, 150
Alsace 202
American Expeditionary Force (AEF)
Allied unhappiness with 204, 208
first actions 159, 159–60, 161
hello girls 142
at Meuse-Argonne 188–91, 191, 204, 207–8, 212–13
military bands 124
officers 184
shell shock 38
troops arrive in France 118, 122
troops celebrating end of war 219
see also Pershing, General John ‘Black Jack’
American Expeditionary Force units
I Corps 188
II Corps 209
III Corps 188
V Corps 188
1st Division 121–2, 159, 162, 163
4th Division 162
26th Division 162
28th Division 162
28th Infantry Regiment 159
79th Division 189
82nd Division 190
American First Army 183, 184–91, 204
American Second Army 204
Amiens 151
Battle of (1918) 169, 171–8, 172, 175, 176–7
armistice line 217
Arras, Battle of (1917) 20, 23–35, 39–43
British troops 26, 28, 30, 32, 43
German troops 41
maps 25
artillery
and Allied attack on Hindenburg Line 196–7
at Amiens 171
at Arras 26–7, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34
British 26–7, 28, 30, 34, 40, 61, 62, 79–80, 79, 85, 86, 92, 93, 96, 97, 106–7, 135, 158, 171
at Cambrai 107
German 81, 145–6, 156, 157, 157, 187
ineffectiveness 27
at Messines 62
mortars 211
on Nivelle Offensive 36
observation points 39
role in later war 131
at Second Marne 163
in Spring Offensives 145–6, 157
at Third Ypres 79–80, 85, 86, 86, 92, 93, 96
Australian troops see British Army units: I and II ANZAC Corps; British Army units: Australian Corps
Beaurivoir Line 206
Belleau Wood, action at (1918) 159
Below, General Otto von 134, 178
Birdwood, General William 24, 34
Bliss, Major-General Tasker 120, 124
bombing raids 29
Bourlon Wood and Ridge 108, 110
Braithwaite, Lieutenant-General Walter 196
Britain
blockade of Germany 113–14, 135
domestic morale 137
new government of 1916 13
relations between government and military 16–17, 70
strategy for 1917 10–13, 15–16
total numbers called up 117
War Policy Committee 70–4, 103–4
British Army
artillery unit 158
new tactics and technology 106–7, 141–2, 169, 171–3
placed under Nivelle's command 16–17
Scottish troops 138
troops assaulting Hindenburg Line 196
troops at Arras 26, 28, 30, 32, 43
troops at Third Ypres 85, 86, 95, 98
troops entering Cologne 214–15
troops firing machine guns 167
troops in Spring Offensives 138, 146
British Army units
I and II ANZAC Corps 34–5, 43, 57, 65, 92, 95
III Corps 107, 110–11, 147, 173–4
V Corps 43
XVIII Corps 148
3rd Division 197
4th Division 32
9th Division 32
12th Division 31
15th (Scottish) Division 31, 162
34th Division 162
50th Division 157
51st (Highland) Division 108, 147, 163
55th Division 87
58th Division 96
62nd Division 163
63rd (Royal Naval) Division 41, 96
Australian Corps 173–4, 179–80, 195, 197, 206
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 28
Canadian Corps at Amiens 173–4
Canadian Corps at Arras 24, 26, 27, 28–30, 35
Canadian Corps in final offensives 179, 180, 191–2, 206, 212
Canadian Corps at Third Ypres 95–7, 99
Guards Division 80
Lancashire Regiment 92
Lincolnshire Regiment 41
Motorcycle Machine Gun Corps 166
Munsters 150
South African Brigade 209
British First Army 23, 24, 28, 140, 179, 180, 186, 212
British Second Army 61–7, 80, 86–7, 92–3, 140, 193, 206–7
British Third Army
at Arras 23, 24, 28, 31, 34, 40
and Hundred Days 178–9, 179–80, 186, 192, 204–6, 215
in Spring Offensives 135, 140, 145, 147, 148, 151
British Fourth Army 171, 173–4, 175–6, 180, 186, 193–7
British Fifth Army
at Bullecourt 43
in Spring Offensives 135, 138, 140–1, 142–7, 148
at Third Ypres 76, 79–85, 86–9, 92–3, 96–7
Brittain, Vera 119
Broodseinde, Battle of ( 1917) 90, 90
Bruchmuller, Lieutenant-Colonel Georg 132, 146
Brunhild Position 207
Bullard, General Robert Lee 187, 204
Byng, General Sir Julian 24, 28, 104, 107, 109, 110, 178–9
Battle of ( 1917) 95, 104–12, 109, 110, 132
Canadian Expeditionary Force see British Army units: Canadian Corps
Canal du Nord 192
Cantigny, action at (1918) 159
Caporetto, Battle of ( 1917) 113, 127, 132
cemeteries see war memorials and cemeteries
Charteris, Brigadier-General John 57, 59, 113
Château Thierry, action at (1918) 159–60, 161, 163
Chateau Wood 80
Chemin des Dames 16, 22–3, 36, 37, 37, 38–9, 137, 156–8
Churchill, Winston 60, 71, 72, 107
and peace negotiations 202, 210, 212
on Pershing and AEF 191, 204, 208
and sacrificial units 162
on Second Marne 167
and unified Allied command 140, 150
communications 142
Condé 38
Conn, Private A.V. 96
Currie, General Arthur 95, 96, 97, 176, 179, 180
the dead 31
Debeney, General Eugène 171, 175, 176
Doe, D.H. 79
Drocourt–Queant Switch Line 180
Drum, General Hugh 189
Duchêne, General Denis 157
Eastern Front 113, 129, 131, 132
Ebert, Friedrich 218
Elles, Brigadier-General Hugh 104
English Channel 73
equipment
entrenching tools 133
Yukon packs 60
Erzberger, Matthias 216
Foch, Marshal Ferdinand 213
and armistice 218
and final offensives 203–4, 206, 208, 212
and Hundred Days 170–1, 176, 178, 182–3, 184–6, 191
made chief of allied staff 138, 139, 150
made marshal of France 167
opposition to Nivelle Offensive 15
and peace negotiations 210, 212, 216
revitalization of French military 137
and Spring Offensives 151, 152, 154, 156, 158
France
Clemenceau comes to power 138–9
public greeting Americans 118, 122
strategy for 1917 10–13, 15–16
total numbers called up 117
Franchet d’Espérey, General 50–1
French, Field Marshal Sir John 71, 72
French Army
air squadrons 13
cavalry 158
firing squads 49
infantry sergeants 32
revitalization 137
transportation 163
troops in action 16, 19, 22–3, 37, 146, 167
troops moving to battle 46–7, 53, 182
French Army units
II Colonial Corps 37
18th Infantry Regiment 48
21st Division 157
22nd Division 157
39th Division 161
58th Division 162
298th Infantry Regiment 50
370th Infantry Regiment 49
French First Army 80, 86–7, 171, 174, 175–6, 180, 186, 193–5, 206, 209, 212
French Fourth Army 137, 161, 162, 188, 189, 191, 208
French Fifth Army 36, 37, 38, 158, 161, 162–3
French Sixth Army 36, 37–8, 48, 137, 157–8, 161, 162, 163
French Ninth Army 162
French Tenth Army 36, 38, 137, 158, 161, 162, 163, 178
Fresnoy 174
Fuller, Colonel J.F.C 104
GAF see Allies: Group of Armies in Flanders
Gallwitz, General Max von 186, 189, 207–8
Gasser, Hermann 149
Gavrelle 41
German Army
military frailty 128
reinforcements moving to front 65
stormtroopers 82, 132, 133, 137, 145, 146–7, 148, 161
troops at Arras 41
troops at Cambrai 110
troops at St Mihiel 187
troops at Verdun 19
troops atop A7V 154
troops digging trenches 189
troops in final actions 203, 207
troops in gas attack 152
troops in Spring Offensives 126–7, 134, 135, 143, 145, 147, 148–9
troops near Reims 198
troops posing with French gun 183
troops retreating from Marne Salient 165
troops wearing armour 131
withdrawal to Hindenburg Line 9, 17–20, 18, 21
wounded 54
German Army units
XVIII Corps 18
110th Grenadier Regiment 149
Army Group Crown Prince 155
Prussian Guards 198
German First Army 161
German Second Army 134–5, 147, 149
German Third Army 161
German Fourth Army 79, 154–6, 206
German Fifth Army 190
German Sixth Army 23, 135, 154–6
German Eighth Army 132
German Seventeenth Army 134, 135, 147, 148–9, 178–9
German Eighteenth Army 135, 147, 148, 149, 159, 160
German Navy: mutiny 128, 208, 215–16
Germany
and peace negotiations 201–3, 211, 216–18
political and social unrest 128, 160
propaganda 192
stab-in-the-back legend 199, 216, 219
Gheluvelt Plateauss 67, 75, 76, 80, 82, 83, 85, 86
Gough, General Sir Hubert 140
and Spring Offensives 142, 147, 151
at Third Ypres 74–8, 79, 81–5, 93
Groener, General Wilhelm 212, 215–16
Guise 212
Guynemer, Georges 13
Haig, Field Marshal Sir Douglas 114
on AEF 204
and Amiens 169, 170, 171, 173, 174, 175, 176
and Cambrai 95, 104, 109, 110, 111–12
criticism of 100, 103–4, 112–13, 138
on French mutinies 55
and Hundred Days 178, 179, 180–2, 182–3, 186, 204–6
and manpower shortages 139, 140
and Messines 55
and peace negotiations 210–11, 212
on Pétain’s promotion to commander 51–2
placed under Nivelle’s command 16–17
and the Somme 75
and Spring Offensives 140–1, 142–5, 149, 151, 152, 154–5
and Third Ypres 67, 69, 70–6, 80–5, 89, 90–5, 97, 99, 100, 137
view of attack tactic 35
Handley, Sergeant-Major J.S. 82–3
Hankey, Maurice 17
Harrington, General Tim 64, 80
Havrincourt Wood 104
Hellfire Corner 95
Hermann Position 206, 207, 209
Hertling, Georg von 167
Hindenburg, Field Marshal Paul von 10
on Cambrai 110
and frailty of German position 128
given Iron Cross 148
increasing pessimism 178
and Nivelle Offensive 20
tactical blunders 166
Hindenburg (Siegfried) Line 27, 35, 181, 194
Allied attacks on 180, 186, 191–8, 193, 196
British attacks on 34, 43, 105, 107–12
French attack on see Nivelle Offensive
German withdrawal to 9, 17–20, 18, 21
Horne, General Sir Henry 23, 26, 28, 179
Hutier, General Oskar von 132, 135, 148, 160, 167
industrial advances, and World War I 11
Jellicoe, Admiral Sir John Rushworth 71, 72–3
Joffre, General Joseph 10–13, 13–14
Jünger, Lieutenant Ernst 9–10, 19–20, 150
Kollwitz, Käthe 216
Kuhl, General Hermann von 62–3, 98–9
Laffert, General von 63
Langemarck, Battle of ( 1917) 83
Leeb, Major Wilhelm von 152, 198
Liggett, General Hunter 189
and AEF amalgamation 124
becomes PM 13
criticism of Haig 103–4, 112–13
distrust of British military 16–17, 70, 138–40
and Hundred Days 170, 180, 182
and peace negotiations 202, 210
and Supreme War Council 138, 140
and War Policy Committee 70
war strategy 13
London 29
Lorraine 202
Lossberg, Colonel Fritz von 40, 78
Ludendorff, General Erich 199
after the war 219
and Hundred Days 176–8, 180, 186, 190–1, 203, 206, 207–8, 209
Kaiser refuses resignation 178
mental breakdown 193
and new tactics 132
and Nivelle Offensive 20
and peace negotiations 198–9, 203, 211–12
on prospects for 1917 10
resignation 212
and Spring Offensives 128–30, 133, 139, 148–9, 152, 156, 158, 160, 161
tactical blunders 166
and U-boats 18
and withdrawal to Hindenburg
McIndoe, Private Thomas 31
Maistre, General Paul 48
Mangin, General Charles 160, 161, 162, 178
Marne, Second Battle of the (1918) 160–7, 164, 165
sacrificial units 162
Marshall, Colonel George C. 188
Marwitz, General Georg von der 135, 208
Mata Hari 51
Max von Baden, Prince 201, 203, 212, 216
medical care 14–15, 54, 55, 85, 111
Menin Road 98
Méricourt 206
Messines, Battle of( 1917) 55–67, 60, 63, 65, 66–7
Meuse-Argonne Offensive (1918) 188–91, 188, 191, 203, 204, 207–8, 212–13
lost battalion 190
Mézières 182–3, 184, 186, 188, 204, 213
Micheler, General Alfred 36, 38
Miller, Henry Russell 121
Missy-aux-Bois 50
Monash, Lieutenant-General John 173, 195
Monchy-le-Preux 34
Monchy Spur 23
Mont St Quentin 180
motorcycles 166
mourning 216
Nivelle, General Robert 13
and Nivelle Offensive 14–16, 20, 35–6, 38, 41–2
Nivelle Offensive ( 1917) 14–16, 20, 35–9, 47–8
Noyon 180
Observation Ridge 31
Oosttaverne Line 66
Operation
Gneisenau (1918) 160
Michael (1918) 145–52, 136, 144
Orlando, Vittorio 209
Osborn, Max 80
Owen, Wilfred 16
Passchendaele
Battle of see Ypres, Third Battle of
Pemberton, Max 67
Péronne 180
Pershing, General John ‘Black Jack’ 114
on AEF’s arrival in France 122
Allied unhappiness with 204
and amalgamation issue 120, 121, 124
on the armistice 219
background 116
and communications 142
meets Pétain 119
and Meuse-Argonne 188, 191, 207–8, 213
offers troops for Spring Offensives 150–1
tactics 125
Pétain, General Henri Philippe 52
and AEF amalgamation 124
and manpower shortages 139, 140
opposition to Nivelle Offensive 15, 39
relations with Clemenceau 139
revitalization of French military 137
and St Mihiel 185
and Spring Offensives 149, 157, 158
strategy 54
Plumer, General Sir Herbert 59, 171
and Hundred Days 193
and Third Ypres 67, 74, 80, 85–95, 97
Poelcappelle, Battle of ( 1917) 92–3
Polygon Wood, Battle of ( 1917) 87–9
Portuguese troops 154
Prager, Robert 120
Querl, Georg 17
Quinton, Private W.A. 170, 178
Railway Wood 82
Rapallo Conference ( 1917) 138
Rawlinson, General Sir Henry and Amiens 169, 171, 173, 174, 176
and attack on Hindenburg Line 194, 195–6
and Spring Offensives 151
religion 91
Richthofen, Manfred von, ‘Red Baron’ 89
Riezler,Kurt 128
Riga, Battle of( 1917) 132
Robertson, General Sir William 74
resignation 139
Roeux 41
Roulers 55
Royal Flying Corps 72, 80, 137
Ruffe, Leon: engravings by 50
Rupprecht, Crown Prince 62, 78, 90, 129
Russia
influence on French Army mutinies 49, 50, 51
military collapse 113, 127, 128, 129
tactics 131
St Mihiel, Battle of (1918) 183–8, 185, 186, 187
Sanctuary Wood 80
Sassoon, Siegfried 16
Scheer, Admiral Reinhard 208
Serain 206
shell shock 38
Shrewsbury Forest 80
Siegfried Line
see Hindenburg Line
Smuts, Jan Christian 70, 75, 104
Snow, Nellie 142
Somme, Battle of the (1916) 9–11, 75
songs 42
Spring Offensives (1918) 127–30, 133–67
first-hand accounts 145–6, 147, 149, 150, 159–60
German planning 127–30, 128, 133–7
German troops 126–7, 134, 135, 143, 145, 147, 148–9
Operation Georgette 152–6, 153
Operation Gneisenau 160
Operation Michael 145–52, 136, 144
submarines and U-boats 18–19, 55–6, 72–3, 113, 114–15
map of Channel operations 73
Suchocki, Boleslaw 159
Swinton, Ernest 107
tactics
AEF 125
British innovations 106–7, 141–2, 169, 171–3
German innovations 110–11, 131–3
Russian 131
A7V 154
telephones: switchboard operators 142
Thayer, Colonel von 130
Tottenham Tunnel 29
transportation 58, 163, 166, 179
Trenchard, Air Marshal Hugh 99
U-boats see submarines and U-boats
uniforms
British Army 204
United States
anti-German reaction 120
entry into war 47–8, 70, 113–18
German fear of 128
and peace negotiations 201–3, 211
and U-boats 18
see also American Expeditionary Force
Valenciennes 212
Vaughan, Lieutenant Edwin Campion 94
Verdun, Battle of (1916) 9–11, 19
Vimy Ridge 24, 26, 27, 28–30, 35
war memorials and cemeteries 100, 216
weapons
BARs 120
Lewis guns 40
machine guns 57, 130, 135, 167, 184
revolvers 189
submachine guns 145
see also artillery
Western Front: map 12
Whittlesey, Major Charles 190
Wilhelm II, Kaiser 129, 148, 178, 193, 212, 216
Wilhelm, Crown Prince 155, 165
Wilson, Sir Henry 60–1, 138, 139–40, 139, 182, 204
Fourteen Points 202
and peace negotiations 201–3, 211
and US entry into war 113, 114–15, 116, 120–1
women and war 124, 125, 142, 195
Ypres 193
Ypres, Third Battle of ( 1917) 69–101
amphibious landing plan 71
British and Dominion troops 85, 86, 92, 95, 98, 99
destruction 78
first-hand accounts 82–3, 96, 98
French diversions 137
terrain 91–2, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98
Yser Canal 80
Zeppelins 29