What is nivelle offensive?

The Nivelle Offensive was a major offensive launched by the French army on the Western Front during World War I. It was named after the French Commander-in-Chief, Robert Nivelle, who devised the plan for the offensive.

The Nivelle Offensive began on April 16, 1917, with the goal of breaking the German lines and achieving a decisive victory. The French army launched a series of coordinated attacks along a wide front, using a combination of infantry assaults, artillery bombardments, and gas attacks.

Despite initial gains in the first few days of the offensive, the French advance quickly stalled and heavy casualties were suffered. The offensive was ultimately a failure, with the French army sustaining over 187,000 casualties in just a few weeks of fighting.

The failure of the Nivelle Offensive led to widespread disillusionment and mutinies within the French army, as soldiers became increasingly disenchanted with the high casualty rates and lack of progress on the battlefield. In the aftermath of the offensive, Robert Nivelle was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Philippe Pétain, who implemented a more defensive strategy.

Overall, the Nivelle Offensive is considered a significant turning point in World War I, as it highlighted the difficulties of achieving a breakthrough on the Western Front and contributed to the erosion of morale and confidence in the French military leadership.