14 - marneschutz–reims and Second Marne, July 1918

Summary

After surviving two challenges to his authority, Foch continued to plan his counter-offensive. Haig’s appeal to London had resulted in the British government’s reaffirmation of unified command, although Foch received a rap over the knuckles about informing the British in advance of moving troops; Pétain’s appeal resulted in his subordination to Foch in that now he would have to obey orders. Foch was buoyed further by the Italian successes on the Piave, by the effective contribution of the Americans, and by Mangin’s achievement in countering the fourth German offensive on the Matz. There were even more grounds for optimism about the enemy. Foreign Secretary Richard von Kühlmann’s speech on 24 June in the Reichstag, which began optimistically, ended with the comment that such a vast coalition war could not be brought to an end by military decisions alone. The speech raised a great scandal on the floor of the Reichstag and led to OHL forcing him from office, but it received immediate coverage in Allied newspapers. A front-page account and editorial comment appeared, for example, in Le Figaro of 26 June. Herbillon interpreted the speech as a ‘clear’ statement that a military victory seemed to Kühlmann to be difficult, not to say impossible.