Battle
The offensive started with a massive artillery bombardment. Following the bombardment, French infantry and tanks advanced on the German defenses. The unprotected infantry suffered heavy casualties and French tanks were shot to pieces before they could have any effect. The French infantry managed to overpower the first line of trenches in fierce fighting but were then stopped on the plateau by intense fire from the new portable MG 08/15 machine-guns emplaced in unusually large numbers. Despite the huge losses, some gains were made mostly by the divisions led by general Mangin. However, the offensive was scaled back over the next two weeks. Progress was slow but by May 5, a 4 kilometer stretch of the German defensive line had been captured. A final French assault was launched after May 5 but failed after four days of indecisive fighting, causing the offensive to be abandoned in disarray.
Read more about this topic: Nivelle Offensive
Famous quotes containing the word battle:
“Fold up the banners! Smelt the guns!
Love rules, Her gentler purpose runs.
A mighty mother turns in tears
The pages of her battle years,
Lamenting all her fallen sons!”
—Will Henry Thompson (1848–1918)
“Oh, who will now be able to relate how Pantagruel behaved in face of these three hundred giants! Oh my muse, my Calliope, my Thalie, inspire me now, restore my spirits, because here is the ass’s bridge of logic, here is the pitfall, here is the difficulty of being able to describe the horrible battle undertaken.”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)
“Nelson’s famous signal before the Battle of Trafalgar was not: “England expects that every man will be a hero.” It said: “England expects that every man will do his duty.” In 1805 that was enough. It should still be.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)