The First Battle of the Marne 1914: The French ‘miracle’ halts the Germans (Campaign)

Osprey's study of the Battle of the Marne, which was one of the decisive encounters of World War I (1914-1918), saving France from a catastrophic defeat that would almost certainly have knocked her out of the war. Germany's failure to defeat the French committed her to a war on two fronts, which would lead to trench warfare and the war of attrition that the General Staff had hoped to avoid. The conduct of the battle served to make and break the reputation of commanders and subordinates alike. Although not an decisive defeat, the battle was a strategic Allied victory. Further attempts by each side to outflank the other led to the formation of a continuous front from the North Sea to Switzerland, which set the pattern for the rest of the war. This title presents the origins of the campaign, followed by a brief chronology, before detailing the opposing commanders and armies. It then breaks out the French orders of battle and the German's opposing plans, the outcome of the fighting and the aftermath of the battle. The book concludes with a look at the battlefield today and suggestions for further reading.

Accounts of history's greatest conflicts, detailing the command strategies, tactics and battle experiences of the opposing forces throughout the crucial stages of each campaign

The battle of the Marne was one of the decisive encounters of World War I, in which France's victory almost certainly saved her from being knocked out of the war. Following the German invasion of Belgium and northern France, the French were defeated in a series of battles along the frontiers between 14 and 25 August. However, the German right flank had become overextended, enabling the French commander Général Joffre to launch a series of counter-attacks. After six days of fighting the Germans realized that their plan to defeat France quickly had failed and they retreated to the Noyon-Verdun line, where the trench warfare of the Western Front began. Original artwork, photographs and maps illustrate this new account of the Marne campaign, one of the pivotal moments of the Great War.

"In 1914 the Germans launched an offensive that swept through Belgium and into France, threatening to crush French resistance in one fell swoop. However, through careful maneuvering and stubborn resistance, the French Army, aided by the BEF, blunted the assault, winning an important strategic victory that kept France in the war. This victory ensured that Germany would have to fight a two-front war, and the Western Front descended into the stalemate of trench warfare. One of the most important battles in the First World War, the First Battle of the Marne would be the last battle of maneuver to be seen on the Western Front for several years to come"--Publisher's website Slaget ved Marne i Frankrig udkæmpedes over 5 dage (5-10 september 1914). Slaget var det første større slag efter 1. Verdenskrigs udbrud. Slaget beskrives fra begge sider Ian Sumner ; Illustrated By Graham Turner ; Series Editor Marcus Cowper. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.