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negotiations would But neither Paris nor London was interested in negotiation the Alli wers had made t many cret deals among them lves to able to a don the war and work r ce. A disloyal official in Charles' gove ment revealed the cret ce mi ion-known as the "Sixtus Affair"-and all Charles' careful and arduous efforts col­ la Except for the anguished ap als for nity of Po nedict XV, Charles' efforts were the only rious attempt to end the w and prevent further slaughter.
In February Germany r umed unrestricted submar e w e, ­ bling that they could starve out Britain fore the United S tes could gear up for w . This German decision, along with the uncovering of a German plan to rsuade Mexico to declare war on the United States, brought Ameri into the war. The American declaration was a eat morale t for the Allies, t it would not until 1918 that American tr would arrive in France in large num
ck on the w front, the st any of the Allied generals could think of was more of the me. General Nivelle, commander-in hief of the French forces, planned offensive in which the British and French would at ck one flank to draw German attention en the French would attack the other and break throu to the t Once a in there were delays in implementing the plan, cau of the mi rable weather and shortages of supplie The p n of the Nivelle offensive ap ared in me newspa , and the Germans immediately fell back to new, stronger de­ fensive ition Incr ibly, Nivelle insisted on ing ahead with his plan
On April 16, in a cold rain, the Nivelle offensive gan By April 17, the Allies had suffered 120, ties to gain two mile But Nivelle or­ dered the attack to ntinu At last, on May 3, the men the trenches had had enough. The 21st Division of the French army refu d duty. Then the 120th Inf t did the e. The mutiny spread The men announ that they would defend their itions against German attack but they them lves would not attack; they had fed the machine guns long enough. An entire re ent left for Paris to demand a negotiated ace. One re ­ ment went to the front baa-ing, to show that they regarded them lves as lam nt to slaughter. rtions during the mutiny num red 21,174. In des ration, the French gove ment replaced Nivelle with Petain He t k stem m sur Two hundred fifty l de were shot, 1 banished Petain went nally to the units to promi help; generous leaves were ven But the French army was effectively f hed Now the Bri sh had to ke
over. But the British had o y General ig, and he had nothing ori nal to