On the Marne, Ludendorff had just suffered a severe defeat. From July 18 to August 4, his armies had been driven back from the Marne to the Vesle, where they organized new positions. (_See the Guide_: =The Second Battle of the Marne=.) In the belief that this effort had temporarily exhausted the Allies, Ludendorff was planning new operations in Flanders, when he was surprised by a new and powerful Allied Offensive. From that point, the initiative remained with Foch. The Front Line and the Opposing Forces. [Illustration: _The Front Line on August 8, and the Opposing Forces._] On August 8, the front line passed west of Albert, east of Villers-Bretonneux, then followed the left bank of the Avre, and the Doms stream, west of Montdidier, running thence towards the Matz and the Oise, via Assainvillers, west of Cuvilly and Chevincourt. From north to south, the enemy front was held by the IInd Army (von Marwitz) (10 Divns. in line from Albert to Moreuil), and by the XVIIIth Army (von Hutier) (11 Divns. from Moreuil to the Oise). These two armies, with 21 divisions in line, engaged 17 other divisions during the course of the battle, i.e. 38 divisions in all. [Illustration: THE AMERICANS ATTACKING CANTIGNY (MAY 28, 1918). _Photographed from, an accompanying aeroplane. At the top of photo: Cantigny village. At bottom of photo: Tank tracks. The white dots and dashes spread over the photo are the American Infantry. Two larger dashes about three-quarters of an inch below Cantigny, on the right, are tanks._] The undermentioned forces were grouped under the command of Field-Marshal Haig: The British 4th Army (Rawlinson), comprising the 3rd Corps (3 divisions), the Australian Corps (4 divisions), the Canadian Corps (4 divisions), and 3 divisions of British Cavalry, 2 brigades of armoured cars and 1 battalion of Canadian Cyclists in reserve. The French 1st Army (Debeney), comprising the 31st Corps (4 divisions), 9th Corps (2 divisions), 10th Corps (3 divisions), 35th Corps (4 divisions), and the 2nd Cavalry Corps in reserve. The Franco-British Attack of August 8, 1918. These armies attacked on August 8, along a 15-mile front, from the Ancre to the Avre. "_At 4.20 a.m., after three formidable cannon-shots,--the signal for the opening of the attack,--the rolling barrage broke out before the Australian and Canadian troops, who immediately dashed forward. At the same time, the heavy and light tanks, armoured cars and motor-lorries, loaded with supplies and ammunition, set out. At certain points, the cavalry, followed by the artillery and the aeroplanes, guarded or speeded up the advance. The enemy were taken completely by surprise. The troops and staffs were taken prisoners before they realized what had happened. One after another, the villages were surrounded and captured. Forging ahead of the infantry, the cavalry and tanks spread panic everywhere._"