Nivelle Offensive

In the winter of 1916–1917, the new French commander in chief, Georges Robert Nivelle, began to draw up plans for a large-scale spring offensive in Artois, and in the Aisne and Champagne regions. It involved simultaneous operations by British and French forces on virtually the entire length of the German salient between Arras and Reims. Nivelle based his strategy for the most part on the lessons learned at Verdun in the autumn of 1916. He hoped to avert the specter of attrition w…