Battle of Amiens

The battle of Amiens marked the beginning of the massive Allied offensive that would lead to the armistice. Coordinated between French, British, Canadian, and Australian forces, it totally surprised the Germans through its effectiveness, speed, and combined use of infantry, artillery, tanks, and aviation. 8 August was called by Ludendorff the 'black day of the German army'. This offensive broke German morale and initiated their strategic withdrawal.

After stopping the last German offensives of summer, the Allies, now reinforced by massive American troop arrivals and strategic use of tanks, decided to regain the initiative. General Foch coordinated a global offensive plan. The Amiens sector was chosen for its strategic value (railway and logistics hub) and perceived weakness of the German dispositions. The attack began in a climate of restored Allied confidence, with perfect inter-Allied coordination.

The offensive relied on total surprise: no prior artillery preparation was conducted to preserve shock effect. On 8 August at 4:20 a.m., the attack began simultaneously on a wide front. Infantry was supported by more than 500 British and French tanks (notably Renault FTs), a mobile rolling barrage, and Allied aviation. French artillery pounded rear lines and communication nodes. Canadians broke through to the north, Australians in the centre, and French advanced rapidly to the south. In three days the German front was driven in more than 20 km.

The battle of Amiens was a decisive turning point of the conflict: human and moral losses were such that German headquarters envisaged for the first time a near end to the war. Tens of thousands of German soldiers surrendered without fighting. The imperial army lost strategic initiative. This victory triggered the vast Hundred Days Offensive leading to liberation of occupied territories and, ultimately, the 11 November armistice. It illustrated rising tactical and moral power of the Allies and excellence of combined-arms coordination.