A commander during the First Marne , Flanders and Artois campaigns of β, Foch became Supreme Allied Commander in late March in the face of the all-out German spring offensive. He successfully coordinated the French, British and American efforts, deftly handling his strategic reserves.
He stopped the German offensive and launched a war-winning counterattack. At the outbreak of war in August , Foch's XX Corps participated in the brief invasion of Germany before retreating in the face of a German counter-attack and successfully blocking the Germans short of Nancy.
Ordered west to defend Paris, Foch's prestige soared as a result of the victory at the Marne , for which he was widely credited as a chief protagonist while commanding the French Ninth Army. He was then promoted again to assistant commander-in-chief for the Northern Zone, a role which evolved into command of Army Group North , and in which role he was required to cooperate with the British forces at Ypres and the Somme.
At the end of , partly owing to the disappointing results of the latter offensive and partly owing to wartime political rivalries, Foch was transferred to Italy. He played a decisive role in halting a renewed German advance on Paris in the Second Battle of the Marne , after which he was promoted to Marshal of France.
Author Larry H. Addington says, "to a large extent the final Allied strategy which won the war on land in Western Europe in was Foch's alone. On 11 November , Foch accepted the German request for an armistice. Foch advocated peace terms that would make Germany unable to pose a threat to France ever again. He considered the Treaty of Versailles too lenient on Germany. It is an Armistice for twenty years. From a young age, he loved to study and work, [ 11 ] showed great interest in military history and strategy, and was an avid reader of military literature.
