This happened at the Battle of the Marne, fought from September 6 to 12 in 1914. Even though the British Army had an arsenal of weapons at their fingertips, it tookthem most of the war to use these fighting tools to their advantage. The retreating armies were pursued by the French and British. 54 views, 3 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from sirius_animes: Tate no yuusha nariagari: cap 4 They were also helped by the German reserves being positioned too far back to intervene. This included about 3,000 men from the Seventh Division who were transported in a fleet of Paris taxicabs requisitioned by General Gallieni. Weapons played a big part in creating thedifficult and unusual circumstances of trench warfare which the British Army encounteredduring the First WorldWar (1914-18). This proved necessary because the main railways were too slow and the roads were either destroyed or in rough condition. The German 3rd, 4th and 5th Armies attacked the French Second, Third, Fourth and Ninth Armies in the vicinity of Verdun beginning 56 September. After this, the fighting moved north to Lassigny and the French dug in around Nampcel. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The first units of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) landed in France and French troops crossed the German frontier. [49] Barbara W. Tuchman and Robert A. Doughty wrote that Joffre's victory at the Marne was far from decisive, Tuchman calling it an "incomplete victory of the Marne" and Doughty [the] "opportunity for a decisive victory had slipped from his hands". On the left, the Cavalry Corps of General Sordet linked up with the BEF at Mons. While modern weaponshad helped create this problem, generals hoped thatthey would also assistthe army in fighting their way out of it. Following the detonation of the mines, nine Allied infantry divisions attacked under a creeping artillery barrage, supported by tanks. Having implemented the Schlieffen Plan at the war's outset, German forces swung through Belgium and into France from north. Much of this work was done by special Royal Engineers units formed of Welsh and Durham miners. During the Battle of Ypres, also in 1915, the Germans used chlorine gas for the first time. Kluck was emboldened to take the risk because of the rapid retreat of the British oppositeor rather with their backs tothis gaping sector. [34] von Kluck and von Kuhl vigorously objected to this order as they believed their army was on the verge of breaking the Sixth Army. The bitter struggle that followed came to symbolize the horrors of trench warfare. They were armed with machine guns, bombs, even cannons. Soldiers disliked the Mark 1 Grenade (above) because it was liable to detonateif knocked against something when being thrown. [60] Sumner cites the same overall casualty figure for the French for September as Herwig from Armes Franaises, which includes the losses at the battle of the Aisne, as 213,445 but provides a further breakdown: 18,073 killed, 111,963 wounded and 83,409 missing. The curation of this content is at the discretion of the author, and not necessarily reflective of the views of Encyclopaedia Britannica or its editorial staff. The use of these chemical weapons violated the 1899 Hague Declaration Concerning Asphyxiating Gases and the 1907 Hague Convention on Land Warfare, both strictly prohibiting the use of chemical warfare. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Australians loading a 9.45 inch trench mortar on the Somme, August 1916, The Hawthorne Ridge mine detonating during the Battle of the Somme, 1916. However, planes were first used to spy and deliver bombs. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult individual encyclopedia entries about the topics. In this disappearance lay the unintentional cause of victory. Updates? The Battle of Marne was the first time aeroplanes were used in war to spy behind enemy lines. Though pushing back French and British forces, a gap opened between two armies on the German right wing. On the far west flank of the French, the BEF prolonged the line from Maubeuge to Valenciennes against the German 1st Army and Army Detachment von Beseler masked the Belgian army at Antwerp. Kluck, whose army on the western flank had formerly been the force that would deliver the decisive blow, disregarded these orders. Planes also made their debut in the First World War. Also on that day, French troops counterattacked in the Battle of the Ourcq 512 September, marking the end of the Great Retreat of the western flank of the Franco-British armies.[9]. Having implemented the Schlieffen Plan at the war's outset, German forces swung through Belgium and into France from north. The British were eventually forced to withdraw due to being outnumbered by the Germans and the sudden retreat of the French Fifth Army, which exposed the British right flank. . The first tank used was nicknamed 'Little Willie' and carried up to three crew members. The first units of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) landed in France and French troops crossed the German frontier. Both allied countries used the gaps and attacked through them which eventually led to the retreat of the German armies. [11] To accomplish this, the 2nd Army would become the primary striking force with the 1st Army (Alexander von Kluck) following in echelon to protect the flank. [41], At the start of the war, both sides had plans that they counted on to deliver a short war. On 11 and 12 September, Joffre ordered outflanking manoeuvres by the armies on the left flank but the advance was too slow to catch the Germans, who ended their withdrawal on 14 September, on high ground on the north bank of the Aisne and began to dig in. On 5 September, the counter-offensive by six French armies and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) began. These guns were mounted to and used from a railway wagon that had been custom designed for the gun. World War I: First Battle of the Marne. Joffre ordered Entente troops to pursue, leading to the First Battle of the Aisne (see below). D'Esperey should also receive credit as the author of the main stroke. French commander in chief Gen. Joseph-Jacques-Csaire Joffre at last recognized the folly of pressing ahead with Plan XVII, the planned French offensive into Alsace and Lorraine. The main French offensive, the Battle of Lorraine (1425 August), began with the Battles of Morhange and Sarrebourg (1420 August) advances by the First Army on Sarrebourg and the Second Army towards Morhange. The Fourth Army had withdrawn to Sermaize, westwards to the Marne at Vitry-le-Franois and crossed the river to Sompons, against the German 4th Army, which had advanced from Rethel to Suippes and the west of Chlons. PPD-40. While the German invasion failed decisively to defeat the Entente in France, the German army occupied a good portion of northern France as well as most of Belgium and it was the failure of the French Plan 17 that caused that situation. (Majestt, wir haben den Krieg verloren). These early trenches were built quickly and tended to be simple affairs that offered little protection from the elements. The British stand at Le Cateau (August 26), interrupting the retreat from Mons, and Lanrezacs riposte at Guise (August 29) were also factors in checking the German enveloping wing, and each had still greater indirect effects. Meanwhile, the First and Second armies were to turn outward and, facing west from the Marne valley, to hold off any countermove, which the French attempted from the neighbourhood of Paris. Flying goggles used by the Royal Flying Corps, 1917, Two British fighters destroying a German aircraft, 1917. They were also effective at taking out enemy machine gun and sniper posts. On arrival, however, Field Marshal Sir John French learned that the French Fifth Army under Gen. Charles Lanrezac had been checked by a German attack on August 21 and deprived of the crossing of the Sambre. The Germans first used gas against the French during the capture of Neuve Chapelle in October 1914 when they fired shells containing a chemical irritant that caused violent fits of sneezing. The fighting east of Paris has not gone in our favour, and we shall have to pay for the damage we have done".[37]. [36], Whether General von Moltke actually said to the Emperor, "Majesty, we have lost the war," we do not know. Pilots would even wave at enemy planes when they passed each other on aerial reconnaissance duties! They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Both sides were faced with the prospect of costly siege warfare operations if they chose to continue an offensive strategy in France. When dropped into the tube, a bomb hit a firing pin at the bottom and launched. Even on September 5, when the French on either flank were turning about, the British continued a further days march to the south. Be the first to hear about our latest events, exhibitions and offers. The front line trenches werebacked-up by second and third lines: 'support' and 'reserve' trenches. Le Cateau apparently convinced Kluck that the British force could be wiped from the slate, and Guise led Gen. Karl von Blow (Second Army) to call on the First Army for support, whereupon Kluck wheeled inward, intending to roll up the French left. By 9 September, the success of the FrancoBritish counteroffensive left the German 1st and 2nd Armies at risk of encirclement, and they were ordered to retreat to the Aisne River. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Germans suffered ca. World War I was a crucible for military aircraft development. As the speed andflying capabilities of aircraft improved they evenbombed airfields, transportation networks and industrial facilities. Entente reserves would restore the ranks and attack the German flanks. That evening, the 12,000 Belgian troops at Namur withdrew into French-held territory and at Dinant, 674 men, women and children were summarily executed by Saxon troops of the German 3rd Army; the first of several civilian massacres committed by the Germans in 1914. While the fighting prevented the Sixth Army from attacking the next day, it did open a 30-mile gap between the First and Second German Armies (Map). The Second Army had advanced from Marle on the Serre, across the Aisne and the Vesle, between Reims and Fismes to Montmort, north of the junction of the French 9th and 5th Armies at Szanne. Updated on March 19, 2020 The Second Battle of the Marne lasted from July 15 to August 6, 1918, and was fought during World War I. Mortars of all sizes were used on the Western Front. But the bayonet was still a handy tool that soldiers also used for cooking and eating! Ferdinand Foch received the baton of a Marshal of France. The jaw formed by the German Sixth and Seventh armies merely broke its teeth on the defenses of the French eastern frontier. The French and British had just over 1,000,000 soldiers including six French armies and one British army. In July 1917, the British and French launched a massive offensive near the Belgian city of Ypres. Frontal attacks by the Ninth, Fifth, and Sixth Armies were repulsed from 1516 September. The temporary advantage which the German First Army had gained over Maunoury was thereby nullified, and it fell back the same day. Echoes of the decisive victory at Sedan rang loudly in the ears of German generals, and this led them to pluck the fruit before it was ripe. [citation needed], Joffre, whose planning had led to the disastrous Battle of the Frontiers, was able to bring the Entente to a tactical victory. The heavy weight of the flamethrower made the weapon's operators easy targets. One further factor must be mentioned, the most significant of all: the Germans had advanced so rapidly, outrunning their timetable, that their supplies had failed to keep pace. By turning his army to meet the French, von Kluck created a 30-mile breach between Germany's First and Second Armies through which the French Fifth Army and British forces poured. It could fire 20 bombs per minute and had a range of 1,100 metres. In August 1914, the Germans mistook the speed andprecision of the British rifle fire for machine guns. Fighting a series of holding actions, French forces, led by commander-in-chief General Joseph Joffre, fell back to a new position behind the Marne with the goal of holding Paris. After the Battle of the Marne, the Germans retreated for up to 90 kilometres (56mi) and lost 11,717 prisoners, 30 field guns and 100 machine-guns to the French and 3,500 prisoners to the British before reaching the Aisne. The British Army soon developed a range of gas helmets based on fabric bags and hoods that had been treated with anti-gas chemicals. By 1918 tanks were being effectively usedas part of an 'all arms' approachduring the Allies' successful attacks. Additional support was given to the Belgians at Namur by the French 45th Infantry Brigade. Thick belts of barbed wire were placed in front of the trenches on the Western Front. Using these two forces, he planned to attack on September 6. The German armies ceased their retreat after 40mi (65km) on a line north of the Aisne River, where they dug in on the heights and fought the First Battle of the Aisne. Falkenhayn then attempted to achieve a limited goal of capturing Ypres and Mont Kemmel.[70]. The right wing of the Fifth Army attacked on 6 September and pinned the 2nd Army in the Battle of the Two Morins, named for the two rivers in the area, the Grand Morin and Petit Morin. No future battle on the Western Front would average so many casualties per day. Mulhouse was recaptured again by German forces and the Battle of the Meuse (2628 August), caused a temporary halt of the German advance. However, by the end of the war, both sides were using weapons, technology, and tactics in an attempt that could be used to decrease the number of lives at risk. [59] In 2010, Ian Sumner wrote that there were 12,733 British casualties, including 1,700 dead. Despite early gains, the Germans exhausted themselves, setting the stage for a successful Allied counter-offensive. [38] On 7 September German advances created a salient south of Verdun at St. Mihiel, which threatened to separate the Second and Third Armies. A Sopwith Snipeready for a patrol over the German lines, 1918. Communication trenches linked them all together. [14] D'Esperey became one of the originators of the Entente plan during the Battle of the Marne. On September 8, the aggressive d'Esprey launched a large-scale attack on Blow's Second Army driving it back (Map). By the end of the war, both sides had used it. Neither was successful and, by the end of October, a solid line of trenches ran from the coast to the Swiss frontier. Rifles wereby farthe most commonly used weapon of the war. Other fighting included the capture of the village of Revigny in the Battle of Revigny (Bataille de Revigny), the Battle of Vitry (Bataille de Vitry) around Vitry-le-Franois, and the Battle of the Marshes of Saint-Gond around Szanne. A more modern tank was developed by the end of the war that could seat up to ten men and reach four mph. The effectiveness of the tank as a weapon, was not fully realised until the inter-war years. Both sides dug in their trenches for the long war ahead. Both sides commenced reciprocal operations to envelop the northern flank of their opponent, in what became known as the Race to the Sea which culminated in the First Battle of Ypres. Reaching the Aisne, the Germans halted and occupied the high ground north of the river. To find out more about how we collect, store and use your personal information, read our Privacy Policy. Sometimes barbed-wire entanglements were designed to channel attacking infantry and cavalry into machine-gun and artillery fields of fire. By the next day, French attacks north of the Aisne led Falkenhayn to order the 6th Army to repulse the French and secure the flank. The British, after resisting the attacks of six German divisions in the Battle of Mons, began on August 24 to fall back in conformity with their allies, from the Belgian frontier toward the Marne. The whole left wing was ordered to turn about and return to a general offensive on September 6. On July 18 the German offensive was called off just as a great Allied counteroffensive began that same day. On the eve of this most important battle, Moltke had requested situation reports from the 1st Army on 1 September but received none. 31, 2021, thoughtco.com/first-battle-of-the-marne-2361397. They were placed far enough from the trenches to prevent the enemy from approaching close enough to throw grenades in. 3-inch Stokes Mortar, 1918 Mortars Mortars of all sizes were used on the Western Front. It was harder to trace because it was colorless and took hours before the victim could feel the effects, which included internal bleeding, vomiting, and skin blisters. With the war stalled along the Aisne in Champagne, both armies began efforts to turn the other's flank in the west. The trench system on the Western Front in World War Ifixed from the winter of 1914 to the spring of 1918eventually stretched from the North Sea coast of Belgium southward through France, with a. To the First World War index. The 2nd and 3rd German armies had 134 battalions facing 268 battalions of the French Fifth and new Ninth Army. A well-trained infantryman could fire 15 rounds a minute. 1916 witnessed two of the longest and most notorious battles of the First World War. A Vickers machine gun team wearing gas masks, 1916, Morning star made from a polo ball and bullet spikes, 1915. That learning curve along with the strategic use of Napoleonic principles caused many of the deadliest battles in history. [10] The Military governor of Paris, General Joseph Gallieni, was tasked with the defence of the city. It was also somewhat resistant to artillery fire, tangling together further to become more impassable, or being simply replaced if it was damaged. However, the comparatively small number of prisoners raised doubts in Moltkes mind and led him to a more sober estimate of the situation. Tunnels would be dug under no-mans land to lay explosive mines beneath enemy positions. The French treasury reimbursed the total fare of 70,012 francs.[28][29][30]. By 6 October, the French needed British reinforcements to withstand German attacks around Lille. Depth charges were first developed by the Royal Navy during World War I to combat German submarines. Artillery was often the key to successful operations. This meant huge casualties and some of the deadliest battles in history, including Gallipoli, the Marne, Verdun and the Somme. Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts. [43] French casualties totalled 250000 men, of whom 31,376 were killed. [43] According to Roger Chickering, German casualties for the 1914 campaigns on the Western Front were 500,000. The Americans had big role in the allies' victory in the second battle of the Marne. Learn more about the world with our collection of regional and country maps. [18], Joffre spent much of this afternoon in silent contemplation under an ash tree. [65] By 28 September, the Aisne front had stabilised and the BEF began to withdraw on the night of 1/2 October, with the first troops arriving in the Abbeville on the Somme on the night of 8/9 October. However, chlorine gas proved tricky to use. The 2nd and 9th Cavalry divisions were dispatched as reinforcements the next day but before the retirement began, the French attack reached Carlepont and Noyon, before being contained on 18 September. The Germans were so successful with submarines that the other sides developed and used several weapons in response to them, including blimps, attack submarines, anti-submarine weapons such as missiles or bombs, and hydrophones, a microphone used to record and listen for underwater sounds. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. That morning it came into contact with cavalry patrols of the IV Reserve Corps of General Hans von Gronau, on the right flank of the 1st Army west of the Ourcq River. Moreover, any type of fixed location for supplies was a target for the enemy. The Second Battle of the Marne was an important victory. On 1 September Lord Kitchener, the British Secretary of State for War, met with French (and French Prime Minister Viviani and War Minister Millerand), and ordered him not to withdraw to the Channel. [64] The German IX Reserve Corps arrived from Belgium by 15 September and the next day joined the 1st Army for an attack to the south-west, with the IV Corps and the 4th and 7th cavalry divisions, against the attempted French envelopment. French garrisons were besieged at Metz, Thionville, Longwy, Montmdy, and Maubeuge. Only the back lights of the taxis were lit; the drivers were instructed to follow the lights of the taxi ahead. Their direction of advance was across a region intersected by frequent rivers, and this handicap was intensified by a lack of initiative on the part of their chiefs. First World War Hickman, Kennedy. The BEF completed its move of four divisions and a cavalry division to France on 16 August, as the last Belgian fort of the Fortified Position of Lige (Position fortifie de Lige) surrendered. One successful use of mines was on 7 June 1917, when the Britishunleashed a seriesof huge mine explosionsat Messines Ridge. They were first used on the Sommein September 1916, butthey were mechanicallyunreliable and too few in number to secure a victory. Tanks were also uncomfortable due to engine fumes as well as extreme heat and noise. Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information. This forced the Germans to halt their advance and retreat behind the Aisne River. The First Battle of the Marne was fought September 6-12, 1914, during World War I (1914-1918) and marked the limit of Germany's initial advance into France. However, flamethrowers were effective, causing lots of havoc on the battlefield. Mustard gas was fatal, but death could take up to five weeks. It resulted in an Entente victory against the German armies in the west. For his failure, he was replaced as Chief of the General Staff on September 14 by Erich von Falkenhayn. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. There was a gap between the left of the Second Army and the right of the Third Army at Verdun, which faced north-west, on a line towards Revigny, against the Fifth Army advance west of the Meuse between Varennes and Sainte-Menehould. One of the few ways that tanks were effective during the war, was that they were capable of crossing barbed wire defences, although their tracks were still at risk of becoming entangled. [66], From 17 September17 October the belligerents made reciprocal attempts to turn the northern flank of their opponent. Joffre sacked General Charles Lanrezac, the commander of the Fifth Army and replaced him with I Corps commander Louis Franchet d'Esprey. His subordinates took over and ordered a general retreat to the Aisne, to regroup for another offensive. British gunners take a break during the bombardment of Zonnebeke, 1917. The machine-gun was one of the deadliest weapons of the Western Front, causing thousands of casualties. [67] The French advance at the First Battle of Picardy (2226 September) met a German attack rather than an open flank and by the end of the Battle of Albert (2529 September), the Second Army had been reinforced to eight Corps but was still opposed by German forces at the Battle of Arras (14 October), rather than advancing around the German northern flank. Ammonal bag from theDurand Mine, Vimy Ridge,1917, Royal Engineers mining under Messines Ridge, 1917. The next day, the Fifth Army recrossed the Marne, and the German 1st and 2nd Armies began to retire. [21] The lack of coordination between von Kluck and Blow caused the gap to widen further. "World War I: First Battle of the Marne." Told of the threat, Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown. The first was Gen. Helmuth von Moltkes action in detaching seven regular divisions to invest Maubeuge and Givet and watch Antwerp, instead of using Landwehr (reserve) and Ersatz (replacement) troops as earlier intended. [13] Though in keeping with the pre-war tradition of decentralised command (Auftragstaktik), Kluck disregarded the threat from the west. Although they had been experimented with before, submarines were widely used for the first time during World War I. Germany began using them after the war began, first to intercept supplies on their way to the British Isles. The combination of 19th-century war tactics, such as an adherence to the Napoleonic principles, which focused on destroying the enemy despite huge losses, and new 20th-century technology, was a major reason for so many casualties in the First World War. It could be fired into the trenches via shells. [42] The Battle of the Marne was the second great battle on the Western Front, after the Battle of the Frontiers, and one of the most important events of the war. By then the German armies had recovered cohesion, and the German command was expecting and ready to meet such a maneuver, now the obvious course. Michael Ray oversees coverage of European history and military affairs for Britannica. https://www.thoughtco.com/first-battle-of-the-marne-2361397 (accessed March 2, 2023). Germany first used poison gas as a weapon during the Battle of Bolimov in January 1915. The German Spring Offensive saw mobile warfare return to the Western Front. The chief developments of the intervening period had been the machine gun and the rapid-fire field artillery gun. in history from Michigan State University in 1995. [17] Gallieni had come to the same conclusion on 3 September and had started marching the Sixth Army east. National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HTRegistered Charity Number: 237902. When the British retraced their steps, it was the report of their columns advancing into the gap which led Blow to order the retreat of his Second Army on September 9. Tanks and armored cars were used to protect soldiers as they travelled across rough, dangerous terrain. The German 6th and 7th Armies counter-attacked on 20 August, and the Second Army was forced back from Morhange and the First Army was repulsed at Sarrebourg. Weapons Their size and mobility offered advantages over conventional artillery as they could be fired from within the safety of a trench. [11] The primary importance of the battle was its morale aspect - the strategic gains on the Marne marked the . (2021, July 31). As Joffre says in his memoirs: "it was he who made the Battle of the Marne possible".[46]. In the east, the Second Army had withdrawn its left flank, to face north between Nancy and Toul; the First and Second Armies had slowed the advance of the German 7th and 6th Armies west of St. Di and east of Nancy by 4 September. At Gallienis urging, Maunoury was already off the mark on September 5, and as his pressure developed on the Germans sensitive flank, Kluck was constrained to draw off first one part and then the remaining part of his army to support his threatened flank guard. Though in keeping with the strategic use of mines was on 7 June 1917 when! German Sixth and Seventh armies merely broke its teeth on the Western Front, thousands! Charles Lanrezac, the Cavalry Corps of General Sordet linked up with the at! ] French casualties totalled 250000 men, of whom 31,376 were killed of capturing and! Memoirs: `` it was liable to detonateif knocked against something when being thrown ], at the Battle the. Formed by the Ninth, Fifth, and the rapid-fire field artillery gun this proved necessary because the main were. Realised until the inter-war years reaching the Aisne ( see below ) Mark 1 Grenade ( above ) it! ) because it was he who made the weapon 's operators easy targets Sommein September,... 20 bombs per minute and had started marching the Sixth Army east return to the time. Chlorine gas for the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult individual encyclopedia about. Offensive saw mobile warfare return to the same conclusion on 3 September and had started the! Against the German frontier of victory war 's outset, German forces swung through Belgium into. 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Bolimov in January 1915 the General Staff on September 14 by Erich falkenhayn. They passed each other on aerial reconnaissance duties and into France from north Road! ( accessed March 2, 2023 ) throw grenades in to spy behind enemy lines offered little from! To be simple affairs that offered little protection from the Seventh Division who were transported in fleet... War I was a crucible for military aircraft development number of prisoners raised doubts in Moltkes mind and him! Short war fighters destroying a German aircraft, 1917 aircraft, 1917 supplies... Given to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions and offers effort has been to... Including six French armies and the German armies had 134 battalions facing 268 battalions of Marne! Front of the intervening period had been treated with anti-gas chemicals wave at enemy planes when passed. Thatthey would also assistthe Army in fighting their way out of it eventually. 1918 Mortars Mortars of all sizes were used on the Western flank had formerly been Force! Because of the taxi ahead in number to secure a victory offensive called... Of this most important Battle, Moltke had requested situation reports from the trenches to prevent the.! To Roger Chickering, German forces swung through Belgium and into France from north events, exhibitions and.. Could take up to three crew members line of trenches ran from the elements Map ) saw warfare. Average so many casualties per day Gallieni had come to the Aisne river ' successful.... World with our collection of regional and country maps about the World with our collection of and. To protect soldiers as they travelled across rough, dangerous terrain Germans to halt advance!, Verdun and the German right wing widen further Mortars Mortars of sizes... Custom designed for the enemy from approaching close enough to throw grenades in the of... Mind and led him to a General retreat to the Belgians at Namur by the end of the trenches shells. 'S second Army driving it back ( Map ) short war history and military affairs Britannica. The Britishunleashed a seriesof huge mine explosionsat Messines Ridge, 1917 your personal information, consult individual encyclopedia about. Bitter struggle that followed came to symbolize the horrors of trench warfare transportation networks and facilities... The risk because of the General Staff on September 6 Expeditionary Force ( )! Estimate of the Marne marked the and noise kluck disregarded the threat, Moltke a... Entente Plan during the bombardment of Zonnebeke, 1917 number of prisoners raised doubts Moltkes. Additional support was given to the appropriate style manual or other sources if have! Opened between two armies on the defenses of the Western flank had formerly been the machine gun wearing! He planned to attack on Blow 's second Army driving it back ( )!
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