ABSTRACT
The war dragged on for nearly two years more. On the Western front there was still stalemate. Towards the end of 1917 the British defeated the Turks in Palestine and General Allenby took Jerusalem. The most important development was in the war at sea. The British blockade practically stopped food and raw materials from reaching Germany from overseas: only the oil from occupied Rumania kept the German air-force and transport supplied. The Germans on their side intensified their submarine campaign, sinking at sight all merchantmen making for British, French and Italian ports. An increasing number of American ships were torpedoed. Between January and August 1917, the Allies lost four and a half million tons of shipping. The British retreated for a short distance beyond the River Lys, but held on. The French, taken by surprise, did not stop the Germans till they had once more reached the Marne.
