November 20 – December 7, 1917 · Western Front Theater
November 20 – December 7, 1917
The first large-scale use of tanks in warfare. On November 20, 476 British tanks advanced without a preliminary artillery bombardment, achieving complete surprise and breaking through the Hindenburg Line — church bells were rung in London for the first time since 1914. But the exploitation failed for lack of fresh troops; the cavalry could not advance through the broken ground. On November 30, Germany counterattacked with stormtrooper infiltration tactics, regaining most of the lost ground within days.
Commanders