Second Battle of the Aisne

The Second Battle of the Aisne was a French offensive on the Western Front of World War I. The battle was part of the 1917 Nivelle Offensive. The goal of the battle was to end the war in 48 hours, but it failed with many deaths. The failure of the battle caused French morale to collapse, and started the French Army mutinies.

Second Battle of the Aisne
Part of the Western Front of the First World War
250px Chemin des Dames and Champagne, 1917
Date 16 April – 9 May, 24–26 October 1917 Location Between Soissons and Reims, France 49°24′N 3°36′E Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
France	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Robert Nivelle Franchet d'Espèrey Alfred Micheler Philippe Pétain Charles Mangin François Anthoine Olivier Mazel Denis Duchêne Georges Humbert	Erich Ludendorff Crown Prince Wilhelm Max von Boehn Fritz von Below Karl von Einem
Strength
53 divisions	38 divisions
Casualties and losses
c.  187,000	c.  163,000

Second Battle Of The Aisne Media

• Chavonne defences, 1917.jpg

  Chavonne defences, 1917
• Illustration of the German retirement to the Siegfriedstellung (Hindenburg Line), 1917.jpg

  Illustration of the German retirement to the Siegfriedstellung/Hindenburg Line, 1917
• Western Front 1917.jpg

  Western Front, April 1917
• Loivre and Bermericourt.jpg

  Loivre and Berméricourt
• Ville-aux-Bois, Aisne 1917.jpg

  Ville-aux-Bois, Aisne 1917
• Char St Chamond tank.jpg

  St Chamond tank
• Fifth and Tenth army areas, 1917
• Craonne and the eastern Chemin des Dames, 1917.jpg

  Craonne and the eastern Chemin des Dames, 1917
• French territorial gains on the Aisne, Nivelle Offensive, April-May 1917.jpg

  French territorial gains on the Aisne, Nivelle Offensive, April–May 1917
• Soupir (Aisne) nach den April-Angriffen 1917.jpg

  The ruined village of Soupir, 1917