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this is John Batcher, comment by Professor Nick Lloyd about his book, The Western Front, part of the series, The Great War 1914 to 1918.

The breakthrough, the famed breakthrough, any moment now, the breakthrough

of the front line, break the Germans. It was an illusion that became a delusion.

Nick explains here, the breakthrough.

More of this later.

But of course, giving up the idea of a breakthrough is quite a difficult

one for many commanders to grapple with as well as politicians because the overriding mission is to liberate French territory it to get the Germans off French

land and they simply can't do that in the way that they had imagined and that's one of

the key stories of the book is the different

developments that they undergo in order to try and find a way to win.

And it's not obvious and it's not simple.

I think some of the criticisms of the Western Front commanders are there was another alternative way.

And in many cases, it was always going to be extremely difficult, bloody. And whatever progress the Allies might make,

the Germans will respond.

...