How did Russia and the United States affect Germanys strategy in the last year of the war?
On April 3, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. Germany was well aware that it would take many months, perhaps a year, before the US armed forces would be able to participate effectively. However, the US represented a major danger. They were fresh, with a population unaffected by the devastating war, and in huge numbers. In October, 1917 the Russian Revolution toppled the government of Russia. Lenin, a former German resident, signed a peace with Germany in March, 1918 in order to consolidate power at home. Thus, Germany had a golden opportunity to decide the war if they acted quickly. The peace with Russia allowed dozens of German divisions to relocate to the western front before the US was present in war winning numbers. These reinforcements made it possible for Erich Ludendorff, CinC of the Western Front to launch Operation Michael on March 21,1918. Operation Michael was a last ditch, all-or-nothing offensive to break the English and French armies before the exhausted Ger
