Western Front
Kaiserschlacht: Operation Blücher-Yorck begins (see June 6th). Known to the Allies as
Battle of the Aisne 1918 or
Third Battle of the Aisne on Chemin des Dames. 4000 German artillery pieces fire on Allied lines. German infantrymen then attack on a 25-mile front. Craonne again taken by German forces (see May 4th, 1917 and October 12th, 1918). Four tired French and 4 weak British divisions on river Aisne are attacked between Soissons and Reims, river first reached in under 6 hours. Germans capture Chemins des Dames and Craonne in record advance up to 12 miles destroying 4 divisions. 1 million German rounds phosgene and diphenyl-chlorarsine vs French troops; 4,980 gassed (71 deaths) until June 5. There is also a smaller attack between Locre and Voormezeele.
German stormtroopers cross a makeshift bridge during the drive against Chemin des Dames:
https://i1.wp.com/ww2-weapons.com/w...dames.jpg?ssl=1
Wounded British and French troops returning from the frontlines at Muscourt: © IWM (Q 6661):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...752248236990470
German troops reach the Aisne and Vesle Rivers, advancing 15 km against Allied lines. German troops on the advance: © IWM (Q 88094):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...782450623119360
Kaiser Wilhelm Geschuetz (long-range gun; aka Pariskanone) bombard Paris (104 shells until June 11).
German troops watching their artillery fire at British lines at Berry-au-Bac: © IWM (Q 55007):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...661649026666501
British troops defending against the new German offensive at the Aisne River at Maizy: © IWM (Q 6659):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...691851056304128
Germany: 12 F.E.2s (1 lost) of No 106 Squadron raid Kreuzwald power station and Metz-Sablon railway. An F.E.2 force-lands in enemy lines, crew escape and rejoin squadron on May 30. 3 Handley Pages attack Mannheim and Kreuzwald (night May 27-28).
Western Front: JG1 and 3, 5
Jagdstaffeln, 14
Schlachtstaffeln, 23
Fliegerabteilungen and 2
Bombengeschwader support Ludendorff’s Aisne offensive after lavish air reconnaissance, 19 planes lost until May 30, mainly to anti-aircraft fire; 3,323 fighter sorties until June 18.
France: 15 German aircraft (1 lost) raid Paris (4 bombs).
An American soldier training to use an anti-aircraft gun by aiming at a model aerocraft: © IWM (Q 108878):
https://twitter.com/CenturyAgoToday...722051303342080
Southern Front
Italians storms Austrian positions at Capo Sile, north-east of Venice.
Naval and Overseas Operations
British air raid on Durazzo (Albania); Austrian torpedo-boat sunk.
Asiatic and Egyptian Theaters
Armenia: Battle of Karakilise (until May 28): Battle is ongoing, but no particular developments today.
Siberia: Czechs take over Chelyabinsk and refuse to surrender arms at Penza, take town on May 28 (400 Red casualties) but evacuate it on May 31.
Political, etc
United Kingdom: Parliamentary Paper (Cd. 9059) published on methods used by Germany in the past to influence British trade.
Finland: Carl Mannerheim resigns as C-in-C over future army organization (excessive German influence), leaves for Stockholm on June 1.