The Battle of Soissons (also known as the Battle of Soissonnais and of the Ourcq ) was a World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 battle, waged during 18 July to 22 July 1918, between the French (with American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 assistance) and the German armies.

Ferdinand Foch

Ferdinand Foch

Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...

, the Allied Supreme Commander, planned a major counter-offensive on 18 July; 24 French divisions, including several British Divisions, and the Buffalo Soldiers 92nd Infantry Division (United States) then under French command, and reinforced by other Allied troops including eight large U.S. divisions under U.S. command, and 350 tanks, aimed at eliminating the salient that was aimed at Paris.

The Allies suffered 125,000 casualties (95,000 French, 13,000 British and 12,000 American), while the Germans suffered 168,000 casualties.

The battle ended with the French recapturing most of the ground lost to the German Spring offensive

Spring Offensive

The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...

in May 1918.