Battle of Cambrai Begins

Date: November 20, 1917 • Location: Marcoing, France

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1917.

First World War: The Battle of Cambrai began with British forces having initial success over Germany's Hindenburg Line.

World War I, or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. One of the deadliest conflicts in history, World War I caused 15 to 22 million deaths, including those resulting from war crimes and genocides. The war also contributed to the spread of the Spanish flu pandemic. The conflict saw important developments in weaponry, including machine guns, artillery, aircraft, chemical weapons, and tanks.