1918 opened with Russia's collapse meaning that Germany had a brief window of opportunity to win the war in the West before the strength of the new American armies made the Allies unbeatable. In March 1918, the Allies hung on grimly during a massive German attack. But therein July the Allies began a series of rolling offensives, led largely by the British and American armies. They pushed the exhausted Germans back, until defeat was inevitable. But tragically for the future, the Germans were able to agree an armistice while their armies were still on occupied territory. They marched home apparently unbeaten - and the myth of the 'stab in the back' by 'corrupt politicians was born. A myth which, when combined with the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles', was to propel Adolf Hitler to power only fifteen years later.
—W A Mckibben