Battle of Amiens (1918)
East of Amiens, Picardy, France
What happened
Allied commanders Douglas Haig, Henry Rawlinson and Ferdinand Foch, with Canadian General Arthur Currie and Australian General John Monash, attacked the German army of General Georg von der Marwitz. In August 1918, after stopping Germany's last great offensives, the Allies attacked east of Amiens in northern France. They used surprise, with no long bombardment beforehand, and hundreds of tanks, while aircraft flew overhead to hide the noise of the tanks moving up. Canadian, Australian and British troops advanced more than 11 km on the first day, and many German soldiers surrendered.
Why it matters
Result: Allied victory. Why it matters: It was the opening battle of the Hundred Days Offensive, which led to the end of World War I. The German commander Erich Ludendorff called the first day 'the black day of the German Army'.
What came next
Over the next three months the Allies pushed the German army back and broke through the Hindenburg Line. The war ended with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
Did you know?
Allied aircraft flew over the lines before the attack to help hide the sound of the tanks moving up.
Timeline
- Spring 1918Germany launches its last great offensives.
- 8 August 1918The Allies attack at Amiens.
- 11 November 1918The Armistice ends World War I.