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
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