18. Armee 18th Army | |
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Active | 22 December 1917 – 2 January 1919 |
Country | German Empire |
Type | Army |
Engagements | World War I |
Insignia | |
Abbreviation | A.O.K. 18 |
The 18th Army (German : 18. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 18 / A.O.K. 18) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed against France on 27 December 1917 from the former Heeresgruppe Woyrsch command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 2 January 1919. [1]
18th Army was one of three armies (along with 17th Army and 19th Army) formed in late 1917 / early 1918 with forces withdrawn from the Eastern Front. They were in place to take part in Ludendorff's German spring offensive. The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be deployed. They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by nearly 50 divisions freed by the Russian withdrawal from the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).
At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz . [2]
By the end of the war, the 18th Army was organised as:
Organization of 18th Army on 30 October 1918 [3] | ||
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Army | Corps | Division |
18th Army | I Bavarian Corps | 19th Reserve Division |
29th Division | ||
15th Reserve Division | ||
200th Division | ||
204th Division | ||
34th Division | ||
XXVI Reserve Corps | 75th Reserve Division | |
9th Division | ||
18th Division | ||
6th Bavarian Division | ||
XVIII Reserve Corps | 231st Division | |
238th Division | ||
81st Reserve Division | ||
2nd Division | ||
1st Reserve Division | ||
two thirds of 82nd Reserve Division | ||
5th Reserve Division | ||
XIV Corps | 232nd Division | |
237th Division | ||
11th Division | ||
221st Division | ||
105th Division | ||
87th Division | ||
18th Army was commanded throughout its existence by General der Infanterie Oskar von Hutier (previously commander of 8th Army). [4]
The 1st Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the VIII Army Inspectorate. The army was dissolved on 17 September 1915, but reformed on 19 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. It was finally disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 2nd Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the III Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 3rd Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the II Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 4th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilisation in August 1914 from the VI Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 5th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the VII Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 7th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the II Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 6th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 9th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in September 1914 in Breslau to command troops on the southern sector of the Eastern Front. The army was dissolved on 30 July 1916, but reformed in Transylvania on 6 September 1916 for the Romanian Campaign. It was transferred to the Western Front on 19 June 1918 where it was finally dissolved on 18 September 1918.
The 17th Army was an army-level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in France on 1 February 1918 from the former 14th Army command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 19 January 1919.
The 19th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in France on 4 February 1918 from the former South Army command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 24 January 1919.
Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence.
Armee-Abteilung Gaede / Armee-Abteilung B was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence and formed the extreme left wing.
Armee-Abteilung Falkenhausen / Armee-Abteilung A was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the left (southern) wing of the Western Front throughout its existence.
This is the German Army order of battle on the Western Front at the close of the war.
The Army of the Bug was an army level command of the German Army in World War I named for the Bug River. It was formed against Russia on 8 July 1915 and served exclusively on the Eastern Front. It was dissolved on 31 March 1918.
The South Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on 11 January 1915 to fight against Russia and served exclusively on the Eastern Front. It was dissolved on 25 January 1918.
The Guards Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
The 54th Corps was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in September 1916 and was still in existence at the end of the war.
The 64th Corps (Württemberg) was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in January 1917 and was still in existence at the end of the war.
The 66th Corps was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on 9 May 1917 and was still in existence at the end of the war.