In early 1918 Germany was nearing the end of its tether, with a stalemate on the battlefield and growing unrest at home. Nevertheless, the Bolshevik revolution in Russia freed half a million German soldiers to fight on the Western Front. With the impeding arrival of the Americans in the conflict Germany had no choice but launch a vast offensive to break the Allies before the fall or all would be lost. And so started a race against time for the Germans.