THE GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE OF MARCH/APRIL 1918

(‘THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME’)

HISTORIANS’ VIEWS OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS BATTLE TO

NEW ZEALAND

GLYN HARPERNew Zealand Military Historian

http://www.infonews.co.nz/news.cfm?id=93119

RELATIONSHIP TO RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Harper connects the new Bolshevik Government decision to pull out of the war with Germany’s ability to build up its forces on the Western Front.

PAGE 15

THE WAR GOING GERMANY’S WAY

Harper looks at the strategic situation (the ‘big picture’)in 1918 and concludes that it is clear that in early 1918 the Germans are winning the War.

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OUT NUMBERED

Thanks to the Bolshevik Government’s decision the Germans now have a numerical advantage on the Western Front.

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MORE WEAPONARY

And a lot more guns!

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STATE OF THE BRITISH ARMY

The situation for the British Army, of which the New Zealand Division was a part, was that they were running out of men.

Page.17.

STATE OF THE NEW ZEALAND DIVISION FROM LATE 1917-EARLY

1918PAGE 14

BUT AFTER A BRIEF REST THEY WERE CALLED IN TO HELP STOP THE

GERMANSPAGE 14

SIGNIFICANCE OF NZ DIVISION’S ACTION TO THE OUTCOME OF THE WAR

PAGE 14

IN HARPER’S CONCLUSION HE SAYS THIS OF THE NZ DIVISION’S CONTRIBUTION

HELPED PREVENT GERMANY WINNING THE WAR!!!

PAGE 166

HE EXPLAINS FURTHER…

CASUALITIES• Harper lists the names

of all those New Zealand soldiers killed during the March/April fighting to hold back the German attacks.

• There are 984 names representing places from all around the country. These are three examples of those. These 984 made up just

under 6% of New Zealanders killed in this war.

The Three Cemeteries where those three are buried or commemorated.

Euston Road Cemetery, Somme.

Wimereaux Cemetery, Pas de Calais.

Doullens Communal Cemetery, extension no.1, Somme.

Matthew WrightNew Zealand Historian

Matthew Wright

In pages 121-137 Wright examines the actions taken by the New Zealand Division in defending against the German attacks.Then he concludes, in relation to their efforts, that “…they played a major role in stemming the German advance…”

Page 138

Wright’s conclusions about NZ’s wider involvement in the War.

ON GOING HUMAN COSTS•Continuing hospital treatment for many men for years to come including on going deaths from injuries.

FINANCIAL COSTS•By 1921 £78.6 million spent on keeping Army on overseas duty.•By 1921 31 764 New Zealanders were on a war pension.

OTHER LESS TANGIBLE CONSEQUENCES

RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTRALIA•Often fighting together against a common enemy strengthened ties between the two countries (over 2000 NZers joined and fought with the Australian Army)

STRONGER SENSE OF A ‘NEW ZEALAND IDENTITY’

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REMEMBERANCE TODAYTours to France and Belgium to visit First World War battle sites and cemeteries/memorials are becoming increasing popular among New Zealanders, as it has been with the Gallipoli Peninsula. The link below indicates how many different options/companies there are that offer such tours. This site is that of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that looks after Commonwealth cemeteries all over the world.http://www.cwgc.org/about-us/our-partners/battlefield-tours-and-pilgrimages.aspxThe New Zealand Government continues to contribute to the upkeep of this Commission’s work.http://www.cwgc.org/about-us/member-governments.aspx