The First World War

Germany's Last Gamble 1918 (1x9)

Ausstrahlung: Nov 15, 2003

Over one million German troops were committed to Kaiserschlacht - the last great offensive of the war - while conflict still raged on many other fronts. The penultimate episode explores Germany's bid to end the conflict by launching Kaiserschlacht, a massive offensive on the Western Front, masterminded by General Erich Ludendorff. Within days the British Fifth Army was in retreat, Paris was under shellfire and defeat seemed inevitable. However, the plan ran out of steam as supplies and strategic options dried up and German troops became war-weary, hungry and demoralised.