Sir Douglas Haig
Haig was commander of the British Expeditionary Force on the western front. The Germans now faced the Allies from a vast array of fortified positions collectively known as the Hindenburg Line – a formidable combination of advanced outposts, layers of trenches, barbed wire, deep dugouts and machine gun pillboxes all covered by well-sited artillery. The Germans were confident they could repel any attack.
The supreme allied commanderMarshal Ferdinand Foch planned a series of devastating assaults on the German line: four battles in four days from 26–29 September. The British, French and American armies would give
The cabinet are ready to meddle and interfere in my plans in an underhand way, but do not dare openly to say that they do not mean to take the responsibility for any failure though ready to take credit for every success! I can attack the Hindenburg Line if I think it right to do so. The chief of imperial general staff and the cabinet already know that my arrangements are being made to that end. If my attack is successful I will remain as commander in chief. If we fail, or our losses are excessive, I can hope for no mercy. What a wretched lot of weaklings we have in high places at the present time. How ignorant these people are of war! In my opinion it is much less costly in lives to press the enemy after a victorious battle than to give him time to recover and organise afresh his defence…! The later must then be attacked in the face of hostile artillery and machine guns, all carefully sited. I am not, nor am I likely to be, a famous general. For that must we not have pandered to the gutter press? But we have a surprisingly large number of very capable generals. Thanks to these gentlemen… are our successes to be chiefly attributed.
the Germans no respite, allowing the German high command no time to think or respond to the attacks. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig was given the most important task in coordinating three of these attacks. He was confident, but aware he lacked the trust of Prime Minister David Lloyd George and other politicians back in Britain. Haig agreed with Foch that it was time to press home the attacks to finish the war in 1918 or face the necessity of doing it all again in 1919. When it became apparent the attacks were succeeding, Haig received the belated recognition of those who had had so little faith in him. His reaction was modest but acerbic.