Second Marne - Blücher-Yorck
From Battles of the First World War Podcast by Mike Cunha
December 21, 2025 · 40 min · Episode 103
About this episode
This episode discusses the events leading up to the Second Battle of the Marne, focusing on the German offensive known as Unternehmen Blücher-Yorck.
The battlefield of the Second Battle of the Marne was shaped by an earlier German offensive in late May and early June of 1918: Unternehmen Blücher-Yorck. Looking to draw away French reserves from the Flanders and Picardy areas, German GEN Erich Ludendorff aimed a new German attack in a sector where the French were particularly vulnerable: the Chemin des Dames. Early and stunning success by German forces in the attack, however, led to overconfidence and the creation of a swollen and tenuous salient. This salient would become the battlefield for the 2nd Battle of the Marne. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social: https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns.
People in this episode
Host: Mike Cunha
Topics covered
- Second Battle of the Marne
- German offensive
- French military strategy
- World War I battles
- military tactics
- historical analysis
Keywords
- Second Battle of the Marne
- Unternehmen Blücher-Yorck
- Erich Ludendorff
- Chemin des Dames
- World War I
- German offensive
- French reserves
- military strategy
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Chemin des Dames
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