Aisne, Battles of

Three battles between Allied and German forces in northern France during World War I. The first battle in September 1914 was inconclusive and left both sides entrenched along lines they held for most of the rest of the war. The second battle April–May 1917 cost both the French and Germans heavy casualties and was one of the prime causes of the mutinies in the French army the following month. In the final battle June 1918, the Germans nearly succeeded in breaking through to Paris.

12–20 September 1914
The first battle occurred on a 160‐km/100‐mi front between Compiègne and Tahure, near Reims. The German forces (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Armies) had fallen back from the Marne and entrenched north of the River Aisne with a considerable strength of artillery. The Allies launched a frontal attack, crossing the river with great difficulty, and eventually gained the crest of the ridge and the Chemin des Dames which ran along it. The Allies were unable to make further gains as they had no heavy artillery and both sides dug into trenches and remained on this line for most of the war.

16 April–20 May 1917
The second battle was a disastrous French attempt on German positions. General Nivelle planned to throw 27 French divisions against the main German position and force a decision within 48 hours but this plan was compromised when the Germans captured a copy of his orders for the attack. They were able to reinforce both their infantry and artillery and prepare a defence in depth and the French sustained heavy casualties. Advancing in snow and rain, overwhelmed by machine guns, and unsupported due to the late arrival of their tanks, the French nevertheless managed to penetrate some 6.5 km/4 mi into the German positions before being stopped. Both sides ultimately sustained heavy casualties: the French lost about 187,000, the Germans 163,000. The severe casualty rate was one of the causes of the mutinies in the French Army in the following month.

27 May–18 June 1918
The third battle was a partly successful German breakthrough toward Paris. The attack was launched by the German 1st and 7th Armies against the British 9th Army Corps and 5th French Army. The Germans broke through and advanced about 16 km/10 mi to Château‐Thierry, placing Paris under threat, before their lack of reserves and stretched lines of supply brought them to a halt.