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Learning from the Great War The occasional papers of the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research 13 ARES& ATHENAJUNE 2018 Learning from the Great War 13 THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT OF 1918 CONTENTS FOREWORD 03 Foreword On 22nd March 2018, the Royal Military 04 Conference introduction Academy Sandhurst played host to an historical conference as part of Operation 06 The global view 1918 REFLECT, the British Army’s on-going 08 March 1918: Imperial Germany’s last programme of events to mark the attempt to win the war centenary of the First World War. 12 The strategic context of 1918: British Empire As the Chief of the General Staff made clear in his written introduction (reproduced 15 Coalition war: The Allied and Associated on pages 4-5) and his concluding remarks, Powers Operation REFLECT has been a learning 19 Coalition warfare in 1918: The case of the journey reflecting the British Army’s wider Central Powers intent to derive wisdom from its past experiences. 21 Italy in 1918 23 Operation Reflect: Winning and losing the war Within that intent, the purpose of the 25 conference was to set out the strategic Why the Allied armies won the situation in early 1918 as the war entered war in 1918 its final year in preparation for a series of 27 1918: The long shadow of the defeat of learning events culminating in the Army Germany Staff Ride in October 2018. 29 Conclusion: Overcoming the To achieve this objective, the conference lessons challenge brought together a rich array of international speakers, reflecting the global reach and significance of a war fought across several continents and numerous separate fronts. Each speaker brought deep expertise on the war as experienced from these different geographic and national perspectives, thereby broadening understanding of the strategic context well beyond the Western Front that has been the focus of British attention. Published by: Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, Robertson House, Slim Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 4NP. This edition of Ares & Athena brings Tel: 01276 412708/412660 together these excellent contributions in chacr.org.uk written form, reinforced by reflections from the expert chairs of the three panels CHACR business partner: to provide a written record of an important NSC, Norwich House, Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3SY. Tel: 01276 678867 event that underlined the British Army’s determination to learn lessons relevant to CHACR its own development from the experience Director: Maj Gen (retd) Dr Andrew Sharpe of the armies of all combatant nations a Assistant Director: Col Martin Todd century ago. Resident Fellows: Dr Ziya Meral; Dr Louise Tumchewics Visiting Fellow: Dr Matthias Strohn Associate Fellows: Maj Gen (retd) Mungo Melvin; Dr Steve Tatham; Professor Gary Sheffield; Dr Oliver Lewis; Dr Andrew Monaghan Cover image: © IWM (Q 1113) © CHACR 2018 The views expressed in this publication are those of contributing individuals and in no way represent the official views of the British Army, Ministry of Defence or any components thereof. ares&athena / the strategic context of 1918 / 2 ares&athena / the strategic context of 1918 / 3 “” CONFERENCE INTRODUCTION Our aim has been to expand our understanding of this decisive year of the First World War so that we may gain insights into the many military challenges that we may face today. Of these, I would highlight: meeting the demands of warfighting at scale General Sir Nicholas Carter, KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen against a peer opponent; managing multi-national coalitions as a fundamental component Chief of the General Staff of any conflict; and understanding how and why wars end, and what can be learned from them Welcome to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for the first major event in the British Army’s character) was able to absorb the impact of the German commemoration of the centenary of the final year offensives and then take the offensive alongside its Allies of the First World War. Since 2014, we have been with increasing success from August 1918 onwards. conducting a programme of professional study, titled Operation REFLECT, which has aimed to honour all Our second panel, chaired by Dr Paul Harris from the those who served, remember all those who suffered and War Studies Department at Sandhurst, will examine how to learn from their experiences lessons that will enhance the dynamics of coalitions on both sides evolved during our own professional understanding. the decisive phase of the war. Professor Georges-Henri Soutou will consider how the Allies responded to military The high points of this learning process have been collapse of a major coalition partner in Russia, the threat International insights: Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg reviews a German Army two major Army ‘staff rides’ to France and Belgium, which regiment during June 1918 (above left); and (above right) French troops move towards the of collapse on the Western Front and integrated the have enabled us, alongside our modern allies, to learn more front near Domart on 21 April 1918. Credits: IWM (Q 52199)/IWM (Q 10951) rapid expansion of the American Expeditionary Force about how the character of warfare was transformed by the in their drive to victory. The perspective of the Central combined mass citizen armies, industrial production and Powers will be addressed by Professor Lothar Höbelt from new technologies. Empire and United States forces on the Western Front in Vienna University, who will consider whether the failure 1918. Reflecting this multi-national theme, of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Each of these exercises has been prefaced we are fortunate to have secured participation Empire to establish an effective coalition contributed to their By air and sea: The pilot and observer of a Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 biplane of No. by preliminary study days, enabling those “” by military personnel and historians from ultimate defeat. Finally, Professor John Gooch will explore 59 Squadron receives instructions before taking off from Vert-Galland Aerodrome on 15 May deploying and a wider professional audience to Germany, France, the United States and the perspective of Italy as a junior coalition partner fighting 1918 (above). Surrendered German submarine crews (above right) wait on deck with their While the focus of kits ahead of being transferred to the British Motor Launch ML 15 in November 1918. understand the strategic context in which these Britain as well as smaller contingents from on a secondary front. the staff ride will Credits: IWM (Q 12168)/IWM (Q 20169) momentous events took place. Hence, today’s other nations, among the 150 who will travel to conference has been convened to explore the be on the Western France in October. Our third panel, chaired by Major General (retired) David strategic situation at the outset of 1918, ahead Front, it is important Zabecki PhD, late of the US Army, will evaluate the of the final Operation REFLECT staff ride that that we understand While the focus of the staff ride will be on factors involved in the winning and losing of the war on from June to November 1918. Dr Matthias Strohn will assess will take place in October of this year. the Western Front, it is important that we the Western Front. Dr Jonathan Boff will assess the relative whether German exhaustion, military, economic and social, that it was but one understand that it was but one theatre of influence of increasing weight of men and materiel, growing was more critical in forcing the German high command to Building on significant multi-national theatre of operations operations amongst many in what was a truly sophistication in integrating all-arms tactics and closer unity the negotiating table than Allied successes on the battlefield. involvement in 2014 and 2016, the 2018 staff amongst many in world war. of command in enabling Allied success in their offensives Both will consider the extent of the Allied victory in 1918, ride will be very much international by design. highlighting how differing perceptions of the peace provided Its unifying theme is ‘four armies in four days’, what was truly a Hence, I am delighted that one of the United the seeds of renewed war in 1939. focusing attention in turn on the roles and world war Kingdom’s most eminent military historians, experiences of the German, French, British and a particular expert on the First World War, Each of these panels will be followed by opportunities for Professor Sir Hew Strachan, will open proceedings by setting questions and debate in which I hope you will all out the global strategic context of 1918. This will illustrate take an active part. Our aim has been to expand BIOGRAPHY how conflict was being waged across Western and Southern our understanding of this decisive year of the First General Sir Nicholas Carter commissioned into The Royal Europe, Russia, in the Levant and Middle East, in Africa; World War so that we may gain insights into the Green Jackets in 1978. At Regimental Duty he has served largely on land, but also at sea and increasingly in the air. many military challenges that we may face today. in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Bosnia and Kosovo Against this background, our expert panels will address the and commanded 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets. He experience of 1918 through the three themes of: Total War; Of these, I would highlight: meeting the demands attended Army Staff College, the Higher Command and Staff Coalition War; and Winning and Losing the War. of warfighting at scale against a peer opponent; Course and the Royal College of Defence Studies. At staff managing multi-national coalitions as a fundamental he has been Military Assistant to the Assistant Chief of the The first panel, chaired by Major General (retired) Mungo component of any conflict; and understanding how General Staff, Colonel Army Personnel Strategy, spent a year Melvin, who edited the Army’s battlefield guide to the and why wars end, and what can be learned from at HQ Land Command writing the Collective Training Study, Western Front, will consider how the combatant nations them.
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