Part 4/11:
Allied Response and Strategic Reactions
The Allies responded quickly. The French, under Marshal Ferdinand Foch—a recent appointment as commander of all Allied forces on the Western Front—was tasked with stabilizing the situation. Foch’s first decision was to assume command of all Allied troops in the West to organize a cohesive defense.
In an urgent appeal, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George instructed British ambassador Lord Reading to request President Woodrow Wilson to expedite American troop deployment. The urgent message emphasized that delays could cost the Allies dearly, and requested that the American forces bypass formalities to join the fight immediately.