3rd_Army_(German_Empire) Knowpia

*3. Armee*
3rd Army
3. Armee; 3rd Army
	Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
Active	2 August 1914 – 30 January 1919
Country	German Empire
Type	Army
Engagements	World War I Western Front Battle of the Frontiers Battle of Charleroi; ; First Battle of the Marne; First Battle of the Aisne; Second Battle of the Aisne; Nivelle Offensive; Meuse-Argonne Offensive; ;
Insignia
Abbreviation	A.O.K. 3

The 3rd Army (German: 3. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 3 / A.O.K. 3) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the II Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.^[1]

History edit

Upon the mobilization Max von Hausen (Saxon War Minister) was given command of the 3rd Army which mainly consisted of Saxons. The army participated in the Battle of the Frontiers, mainly in the Battle of Dinant and the Battle of Charleroi and the army were responsible for the destruction of Reims in September 1914. When the 2nd Army retreated after the First Battle of the Marne, Hausen saw his flank exposed and ordered a retreat. Upon the stabilization of the front on the river Aisne, Hausen was relieved of his command and replaced by General Karl von Einem.

Repulsing the French First Battle of Champagne (the Champagne-Marne offensive) from February–March and Second Battle of Champagne (September–November) 1915 respectively, the 3rd Army took part in all three battles of the Aisne and defeated the Fourth Army (General Anthoine) part of Groupe d'armées du Centre (General Philippe Petain) during the Second Battle of the Aisne as part of the Nivelle Offensive from 16 April – 15 May 1917.

Einem's right flank units participate in the Champagne-Marne offensive on 15–17 July 1918 supporting the east flank of the 1st Army. After suffering severe casualties in battle with the American Expeditionary Force (General of the Armies John J. Pershing) from 26 September – 11 November in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the army was forced to retreat northwards shortly before the war ended, when it was part of Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz.^[2]

Order of Battle, 30 October 1918 edit

Organization of 3rd Army on 30 October 1918^[3]
Army	Corps	Division
3rd Army	XXV Reserve Corps	9th Landwehr Division
		199th Division
		3rd Guards Division
		1st Guards Division
	XVI Corps	213th Division
		242nd Division
		1st Bavarian Division
	I Reserve Corps	202nd Division
		14th Reserve Division
		203rd Division
		195th Division
		76th Reserve Division
		42nd Division
		103rd Division
	XXXVIII Reserve Corps	No units assigned
	Moving to Bavaria	4th Bavarian Division

Commanders edit

The 3rd Army had the following commanders during its existence:^[4]

3rd Army
From	Commander	Previously	Subsequently
2 August 1914	Generaloberst Max von Hausen	Saxon Minister of War	Adjutant to his Majesty the King of Saxony^[5]
12 September 1914	General der Kavallerie Karl von Einem	VII Corps	Retired
27 January 1915	Generaloberst Karl von Einem	VII Corps	Retired

Glossary edit

Armee-Abteilung (Army Detachment) in the sense of "something detached from an army". It is not under the command of an army being a small army.^[6]
Armee-Gruppe (Army Group) a group within an army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a task.
Heeresgruppe (Army Group) several armies under a commander.

References edit

^ Cron 2002, p. 79
^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
^ Cron 2002, p. 393
^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 6 February 2012
^ Cron 2002, p. 84

Bibliography edit

Cron, Hermann (2002) [1937]. Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.

[1] Cron 2002, p. 79

[2] Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187

[3] Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187

[4] Cron 2002, p. 393

[5] The Prussian Machine Accessed: 6 February 2012

[6] Cron 2002, p. 84

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Summary