Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Mumwedzi iwoyo, Mukuru Mukuru wemauto eFrance, General Robert Nivelle, akarayira kurwisazve mauto eGermany, achivimbisa kuti hondo yacho yaizopera mumaawa 48. Kurwisa kwaApril 16, kwakanzi Nivelle Offensive (inozivikanwawo se
Hondo yeChipiri yeAisne, mushure mekunge nzvimbo iyo yakatanga kuitika), yaizova nevarume vane mamiriyoni e1.2 vakasimba, vachitungamirirwa nevhiki-refu rekuputika kwezvombo uye vaine matangi. Kurwisa kwacho hakuna kubudirira zvakanaka sezvo mauto eFrance, achibatsirwa nemapoka maviri eRussia, aifanira kufamba munzvimbo isina kuenzana, ine makomo mumamiriro okunze akaipa zvikuru. Kuronga kwakanga kwavhiringidzwa nokuzvipira kweGermany kudzokera kuHindenburg Line. Chakavanzika chakanga chavhiringidzwa uye ndege dzeGermany dzakanga dzawana simba rokurwisa mudenga, zvichiita kuti kuongorora kuve kwakaoma uye munzvimbo dzakati, kuputika kwehondo kwaifamba nokukurumidza zvikuru nokuda kwemauto eFrance. Mukati mevhiki vaFrench vakatambura kurasikirwa navanhu 120 000. Pasinei nokurasikirwa uye vimbiso yake yokumisa kurwisa kwacho kana kwakanga kusina kubudirira, Nivelle akarayira kuti kurwisa kupfuurire muna May.