IV.

End of the Stalemate

Breakthrough attacks, such as in the protracted Battle of the Somme in 1916, were not successful and a new tactic of “bite and hold”, in which a small gain was held at all cost, was employed during 1917; this too was unsuccessful. In March 1918 the German spring offensive brought the German troops out of their trenches and resulted in a return to open warfare. Improved tactics, leadership, and technology combined to allow the British Expeditionary Force to win a decisive victory.