By early 1917 he was appointed as head of the Ministry of War and accepted, against his better judgement, the advice of his Commander-in-Chief to launch an all-out attack on the German lines.
Sa pamamagitan ng unang bahagi ng 1917 siya ay hinirang bilang pinuno ng Ministri ng digmain at tinanggap, laban sa kanyang mas mahusay na hatol, ang mga payo ng kanyang Commander-in-Chief na ilunsad ng lahat-ng-out atake sa mga linya ng German.