07-02-2009, 02:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2009, 02:28 AM by Dennis Ruhl.)
ham Wrote:47 divisions?
Impossible.
The Hindenburg myth about the 'back stabbing' essentially stemmed from the true fact that the German army was more or less intact...and the German soil still out of the enemy's reach...
No doubt gas was utilized profusely, but over time it tended to loose its edge...everybody was using it profusely, but none was winning...actually in 1918 Germany (according to some) was doing well enough thank to supplies coming from the territories Russia had officially surrendered after Brest-Litovsk...
47 divisions - accurate?? - not a typo as he compares it to a similar American effort with mega times the troops.
The Germans almost won in the spring of 1918 with the movement of troops from the eastern front. Once the spring offensive failed, I suspect the German army knew defeat was inevitable and motivation to continue the war ended, at least among the troops. Putting one's life on the line when defeat was only a matter of time would be demoralizing.
Canada's 4 divisions were oversized with 12 infantry battalions plus a machine gun battalion plus essentially a mortar battalion instead of the normal 9 and were kept up to strength despite heavy casualties. Motivation was always excellent.
Canadian generals were not employing tactics from Waterloo. They actually planned battles and co-ordinated the different arms, especially artillery. Currie, the top general, was a real estate agent from Victoria, not aristocracy and tried to minimize casualties. At Vimy Ridge unbelieving Canadians saw attached British battalions dressing their troops (putting into ranks) under fire.