The First Battle of the Marne was a battle of the First World War fought from 6 to 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German armies in the west.
What did the Battle of the Marne signify?
What is the significance of the Battle of the Marne? Events at the Marne signaled the demise of Germany’s aggressive two-front war strategy, known as the Schlieffen Plan; they also marked the end of the general belief, held on both sides of the line, that the conflict that broke out in the summer of 1914 would be a short one.
What are facts about the First Battle of Marne?
First Battle of the Marne, (September 6–12, 1914), an offensive during World War I by the French army and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) against the advancing Germans who had invaded Belgium and northeastern France and were within 30 miles (48 km) of Paris. The French threw back the massive German advance and thwarted German plans for a quick and total victory on the Western Front.
What does Battle of the Marne mean?
The battle of the Marne was a turning point of World War I. By the end of August 1914, the whole Allied army on the Western Front had been forced into a general retreat back towards Paris. The German retreat left the Schlieffen Plan in ruins and Germany had no hope of a quick victory in France. Lot more interesting detail can be read here.
What was the outcome of the First Battle of the Marne?
French Army mutinies The First Battle of the Marne was a battle of the First World War fought from 5 to 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German armies in the west.
What was the significance of the First Battle of the Marne quizlet?
The first battle of the Marne was considered so significant because Germans left the Schieffen plan in ruins and a quick victory in the west no longer seemed possible.
What is important about the 1st Battle of Marne River?
Events at the Marne signaled the demise of Germany's aggressive two-front war strategy, known as the Schlieffen Plan; they also marked the end of the general belief, held on both sides of the line, that the conflict that broke out in the summer of 1914 would be a short one.
What happened at the 1st Battle of the Marne and why was the outcome important?
The First Battle of the Marne was a battle of the First World War fought from 5 to 12 September 1914. It was fought in a collection of skirmishes around the Marne River Valley. It resulted in an Entente victory against the German armies in the west.
What was the goal of the First Battle of Marne?
In saving Paris from capture by pushing the Germans back some 72km (45 miles), the First Battle of the Marne was a great strategic victory, as it enabled the French to continue the war. However, the Germans succeeded in capturing a large part of the industrial north east of France, a serious blow.
Why was the Battle of Marne so important?
The First Battle of the Marne succeeded in pushing the Germans back for a distance of 40 to 50 miles and thus saved the capital city of Paris from capture. In this respect it was a great strategic victory, since it enabled the French to renew their confidence and to continue the war.
Why was the Battle of the Marne a turning point?
The Battle Marne was a turning point in the war. Besides marking that last German offensive of the war, it marked the entry of American troops into the war. By all accounts despite their lack of experience they equipped themselves bravely in the battles.
What was the turning point in the First Battle of Marne?
On September 7 came the critical point of the battle. In support of the two corps of the First Army, who fought against the Sixth Army, von Kluk, from the Marne, threw two more divisions, and the French were actually defeated. Monory urgently demanded reinforcements.
How did the Battle of Marne lead to a stalemate?
A stalemate developed on the Western Front for four main reasons, one being that the Schlieffen plan failed, another reason was that the French were unable to defeat the Germans completely at the Battle of the Marne, another reasons was the “race to the Channel” and the last reason was that defending positions was far ...
When did the First Battle of Marne start and end?
September 6, 1914 – September 12, 1914First Battle of the Marne / Period
Why is it called the Miracle of the Marne?
Dubbed the “Miracle of the Marne,” the strategic victory for the Allies proved to be a critical turning point in World War I. Paris had been saved from capture. Notions of a short war had been dashed. The Schlieffen Plan had been torn to tatters.
Why is it called the miracle of the Marne?
Dubbed the “Miracle of the Marne,” the strategic victory for the Allies proved to be a critical turning point in World War I. Paris had been saved from capture. Notions of a short war had been dashed. The Schlieffen Plan had been torn to tatters.
What was the outcome of the battle of Marne?
For the Germans, the result of the Battle of the Marne was a strategic but not a tactical defeat, and the German right wing was able to reknit and stand firmly on the line of the lower Aisne and the Chemin des Dames ridge, where trench warfare set in after assaults by the Allies in the latter half of September (First ...
What was the first battle of the Marne?
1914 Christmas truce. The First Battle of the Marne was a battle of the First World War fought from 6 to 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German armies in the west. The battle was the culmination of the Retreat from Mons and pursuit of the Franco–British armies which followed the Battle of ...
How many people died in the Battle of Marne?
Over two million men fought in the First Battle of the Marne and although there are no exact official casualty counts for the battle, estimates for the actions of September along the Marne front for all armies are often given as c. 500 000 killed or wounded. French casualties totalled 250 000 men, of whom 80 000 were killed. Some notable people died in the battle, such as Charles Péguy, who was killed while leading his platoon during an attack at the beginning of the battle. Tuchman gave French casualties for August as 206 515 from Armées Françaises and Herwig gave French casualties for September as 213 445, also from Armées Françaises for a total of just under 420 000 in the first two months of the war. According to Roger Chickering, German casualties for the 1914 campaigns on the Western Front were 500 000. British casualties were 13 000 men, with 1 700 killed. The Germans suffered c. 250 000 casualties. No future battle on the Western Front would average so many casualties per day.
How many French casualties did Herwig have in August?
Tuchman gave French casualties for August as 206 515 from Armées Françaises and Herwig gave French casualties for September as 213 445, also from Armées Françaises for a total of just under 420 000 in the first two months of the war.
How many prisoners did the Germans lose in the Battle of Marne?
After the Battle of the Marne, the Germans retreated for up to 90 kilometres (56 mi) 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.
What was the battle of Mons?
At the Battle of Mons (23 August), the BEF attempted to hold the line of the Mons–Condé Canal against the advancing German 1st Army.
What happened in Lorraine in August?
To the south, the French retook Mulhouse on 19 August and then withdrew. By 20 August, a German counter-offensive in Lorraine had begun and the German 4th and 5th Armies advanced through the Ardennes on 19 August towards Neufchâteau. An offensive by the French Third and Fourth Armies through the Ardennes began on 20 August in support of the French invasion of Lorraine. The opposing armies met in thick fog; the French mistook the German troops for screening forces. On 22 August, the Battle of the Ardennes (21–28 August) began with French attacks, which were costly to both sides and forced the French into a disorderly retreat late on 23 August. The Third Army recoiled towards Verdun, pursued by the 5th Army, and the Fourth Army retreated to Sedan and Stenay. Mulhouse was recaptured again by German forces and the Battle of the Meuse (26–28 August), caused a temporary halt of the German advance.
When did the French retreat from the Sambre?
The Great Retreat took place from 24 August to 5 September; the French Fifth Army fell back about 15 kilometres (10 mi) from the Sambre during the Battle of Charleroi (22 August) and began a greater withdrawal from the area south of the Sambre on 23 August. 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.
What was the significance of the Battle of Marne?
Dubbed the “Miracle of the Marne,” the strategic victory for the Allies proved to be a critical turning point in World War I. Paris had been saved from capture. Notions of a short war had been dashed. The Schlieffen Plan had been torn to tatters.
What happened in Paris in 1914?
Paris crackled with panic as September 1914 arrived. Just a month into the Great War, the Germans had the French capital within sight. Sporadic air raids hit the city at night, resulting in damage more psychological than physical, but on September 2 a German biplane carpet-bombed the city with propaganda leaflets that read, “There is nothing you can do but surrender.” As crowds called for their leaders to declare Paris an “open city” in order to spare it from enemy attack, tens of thousands of Parisians thronged rail stations to flee the city. The French government had already bolted earlier that day for Bordeaux, taking the gold from the central bank with it. Workers at the Louvre feverishly shuttled masterworks to Toulouse. The military governor of Paris, General Joseph-Simon Gallieni, predicted the Germans would arrive in the City of Lights by September 5 if no actions were taken.
What was the Schlieffen Plan?
The Schlieffen Plan had been torn to tatters. For the next two months, each side attempted to outflank each other on what became known as the “Race to the Sea.”. Both sides literally dug in for a long fight as a network of trenches and barbed wire severed Europe from the North Sea to Switzerland by the end of 1914.
Why did the French declare Paris an open city?
As crowds called for their leaders to declare Paris an “open city” in order to spare it from enemy attack, tens of thousands of Parisians thronged rail stations to flee the city. The French government had already bolted earlier that day for Bordeaux, taking the gold from the central bank with it.
When did Germany declare war on France?
From the day Germany declared war on France on August 3, the fight had been one-sided. German forces had advanced like lightning through neutral Belgium and the French countryside, and by September 2, German cavalrymen had crossed the Marne River and been spotted on the outskirts of Meaux, only 25 miles northeast of the French capital.
Who ordered the counterattack between Senlis and Meaux?
The French seized the opportunity, and on September 5 French Commander-in-Chief Joseph Joffre ordered a counterattack between Senlis and Meaux. The following morning, French troops heard the following proclamation: “At the moment when the battle upon which hangs the fate of France is about to begin, all must remember that the time for looking back is past; every effort must be concentrated on attacking and throwing the enemy back.”
Who was the first German general to be spotted in Paris?
They received it on September 3 when French reconnaissance pilots spotted the forces of German General Alexander von Kluck’ s First Army, which had been pointed at Paris like a spear tip, suddenly switch to the southeast.
Why was the Battle of Marne important?
According to historian Barbara Tuchman, in her book The Guns of August, "The Battle of the Marne was one of the decisive battles of the world not because it determined that Germany would eventually lose or the Allies ultimately win the war but because it determined that the war would go on." 2
Where was the Battle of Marne?
Updated January 23, 2020. From September 6-12, 1914, just one month into World War I, the First Battle of the Marne took place just 30 miles northeast of Paris in the Marne River Valley of France.
Which army was a little to the west of Paris?
As the Germans advanced rapidly toward Paris, the German First and Second Armies (led by Generals Alexander von Kluck and Karl von Bülow respectively) were following parallel paths southward, with the First Army a little to the west and the Second Army a bit to the east.
How did Schlieffen circumvent the fortifications?
Schlieffen advocated circumventing these fortifications by invading France from the north via Belgium. However, the assault had to happen quickly—before the Russians could gather their forces and attack Germany from the east.
What was the second Battle of the Marne?
This attempted advance became known as the Second Battle of the Marne but was rapidly halted by Allied forces. It is viewed today as one of the keys to ultimately ending the war as the Germans realized that they lacked the resources to win the battles necessary to win World War I. Cite this Article.
What was the march to Paris?
The March to Paris. The French, of course, tried to stop the Germans. They challenged the Germans along the French-Belgian border in the Battle of Frontiers. Although this successfully slowed the Germans down, the Germans ultimately broke through and continued southward toward the French capital of Paris.
How many people died in the Battle of the Marne?
In the end, the Battle of the Marne was a bloody battle. Casualties (both those killed and wounded) for the French forces are roughly estimated around 250,000 men; casualties for the Germans, who had no official tally, are estimated to be around the same number.
How did the Battle of Marne help the French?
The First Battle of the Marne succeeded in pushing the Germans back for a distance of 40 to 50 miles and thus saved the capital city of Paris from capture. In this respect it was a great strategic victory, since it enabled the French to renew their confidence and to continue the war. But the great German offensive, though unsuccessful in its object of knocking France out of the war, had enabled the Germans to capture a large portion of northeastern France. The loss of this heavily industrialized region, which contained much of the country’s coal, iron, and steel production, was a serious blow to the continuation of the French war effort.
Who was the first German general to swing inwards at the Battle of the Marne?
The First Battle of the Marne. Already on September 3, General J.-S. Gallieni, the military governor of Paris, had guessed the significance of the German 1st Army’s swing inward to the Marne east of Paris.
What was the German offensive in France?
But the great German offensive, though unsuccessful in its object of knocking France out of the war, had enabled the Germans to capture a large portion of northeastern France. The loss of this heavily industrialized region, which contained much of the country’s coal, iron, and steel production, was a serious blow to the continuation ...
What was the trench barrier at Ypres?
The trench barrier was consolidated from the Swiss frontier to the Atlantic; the power of modern defense had triumphed over the attack, and stalemate ensued.
What was the significance of the Battle of Marne?
A key strategic victory for the Allies , the First Battle of the Marne effectively ended German hopes for a quick victory in the west and condemned them to a costly two-front war. Reaching the Aisne, the Germans halted and occupied the high ground north of the river.
When was the first Battle of the Marne?
Updated December 03, 2018. 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. Having implemented the Schlieffen Plan at the war's outset, German forces swung through Belgium and into France from north. Though pushing back French and British ...
How many casualties did the Allies have in the Battle of Marne?
Allied casualties in the fighting numbered around 263,000, while the Germans incurred similar losses. In the wake of the battle, Moltke reportedly informed Kaiser Wilhelm II, "Your Majesty, we have lost the war." For his failure, he was replaced as Chief of the General Staff on September 14 by Erich von Falkenhayn. A key strategic victory for the Allies, the First Battle of the Marne effectively ended German hopes for a quick victory in the west and condemned them to a costly two-front war. Reaching the Aisne, the Germans halted and occupied the high ground north of the river.
What river did the Germans retreat behind?
This forced the Germans to halt their advance and retreat behind the Aisne River. Dubbed the "Miracle of the Marne", the battle saved Paris, ended German hopes of a quick victory in the west, and touched off the "Race to the Sea" which would create the front that would largely hold for the next four years.
What was Joffre's plan for the Battle of Paris?
Moving to Battle. To aid this effort, Joffre was able to bring General Michel-Joseph Maunoury's newly-formed Sixth Army into line northe ast of Paris and to the west of the BEF. Using these two forces, he planned to attack on September 6.
Who led the German advance to the west of Paris?
Commanded by Generals Alexander von Kluck and Karl von Bülow respectively, these armies formed the extreme right wing of the German advance and were tasked with sweeping to the west of Paris to encircle Allied forces. Instead, seeking to immediately envelop the retreating French forces, Kluck and Bülow wheeled their armies to the southeast to pass to the east of Paris. In doing so, they exposed the right flank of the German advance to attack. Becoming aware of this tactical error on September 3, Joffre began making plans for a counter-offensive the next day.
Who was the historian who fought in the Battle of Marne?
Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. 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.
Who won the Battle of Marne?
The First Battle of Marne was won by the French in less than ten days, but it led to two main events of World War I: the First Battle of Aisne that lasted between the 12 th and 15 th of September, 1914, and Race to the Sea that lasted between 17th September and 19 th of October, 1914. The First Battle of Marne ended with around 500,000 casualties ...
What was the German strategy in the Battle of Marne?
The French forces made a well-planned counter-attack that forced the German army to change their war strategies on the western front. This made the Germans make mistakes that resulted in their defeat. The Germans Schlieffen Plan to defeat the French and Allied forces and capture a major part of eastern France failed badly. The Germans faced heavy losses in the First Battle of Marne; they were not only forced to retreat around a hundred kilometers but also lost a large number of arms and ammunition.
How many people died in the Battle of Marne?
The First Battle of Marne ended with around 500,000 casualties from both sides. The French and British forces lost around 100,000 men, while more than 150,000 men got injured. Germans, on the other hand, are also estimated to face around 250,000 casualties.
How far did the Germans advance into France?
At first, the French forces retreated, which gave the Germans the ability to advance around fifty miles further into France. It did not take much time for the German army to get closer to Paris, the capital city of France. It was a swift attack on France; although the French army retreated at first, soon, they came forward to defend their ...
What was the Battle of the Frontiers?
The Battle of the Frontiers. This battle, also known as "the miracle of the Marne," is a part of a series of battles and confrontations with German forces known as the Battle of the Frontiers. The Germans faced defeat in their offensive, but it led to a lengthy war between Germany and the Allied forces that lasted for around three years.
Who led the French army in the Battle of Frontiers?
With France's Plan XVII in ruins, France attacked with full force under the command of General Joseph Joffre and General Michael Joseph Maunoury and fought a great battle along the banks of River Marne. The French Fifth and Sixth army, with the help of British Expeditionary Force, shook the German forces. Germany’s first and second army was left confused and made critical mistakes in their attack plan.
What was the Western Front?
Throughout these three years, this front remained the main battleground of World War I , which turned Belgium, Luxembourg, and northeastern France into a war zone. In the events of World War I, this zone is also remembered as the Western Front. The German offense was so swift that it made the Allied forces retreat from various fronts ...
What was the first battle of the Marne?
The First Battle of the Marne (it’s good you know there was more than one) was the height of combat in the Western Front in 1914. It was a successful attempt by the French and British armies to stop the German advance into France. By this time, the Germans were extremely close to Paris, with some troops capturing Claye-Souilly on the September 5, a day before the battle.
Why was the Battle of the Marne important?
it was very important to the war because the germans were getting very close to paris and the battle of the marne was a crucial turning point pushing the german army at least 10 miles back from paris.
What were the two fronts of the Battle of Ourcq?
In the battle, their were two “fronts”, the East and the West. In the west, the French attacked on September 4, with them engaging the Germans on September 5. Then, the Battle of Ourcq started. There, the German IV reserve Corps attacked the gathering French Sixth Army and pushed them back. During the night, the German Corps withdrew to a batter position 6 miles to the East, while the commanding German officer, Hans von Gronau, alerted the rest of the German army. Von Gronau moved his forces North, blocking the French from crossing the Ourcq river. Following this move, however, general von Kluck created a 30 mile long gap in the German lines, with the British discovering the gap. The bad co-ordination between von Kluck and fellow general Karl von Bulow wided the gap. On September 7, Bulow ordered two of his Corps to withdraw to favorable positions. However, von Kluck ordered the same two Corps to attack the British positions just hours later (Oops). The British ordered the British Expeditionary Force (I actually spelled that correctly of my first try! Yay!) and French Fifth Army to proceed into the gap the Germans had created on September 6–8. The British army proceeded to establish a 5 mile bridgehead in the gap, which again took 2–3 days, with some troop advancing 40 kilometers in three days.
What was the first battle of the Western Front?
The Marne literally kicked off the Western Front. It was the first big battle of the Western Front, and it was the first great Allied victory. If the Germans had defeated the Allies at the Marne, the Schlieffen Plan would've been a success, and Paris would've been occupied, hastening a German Victory in WWI. It was due to this loss, the Germans retreated, dug Trenches, thereby kicking off the both the Race to the Sea, and the slow unmoving horror of Trench Warfare that WWI is so often associated with.
How did the Tang Dynasty affect the Barbarians?
Another known effect was that due to the massive expansion of the Tang Dynasty, both in the low ranking and the leadership, a large percentage of Barbarians (including the migrants from more than 100 ethnic groups or tribes from all directions internally and externally with different religions, cultures, languages) joint in, such that the Tang army became a high mix of Han and Barbarians. Historians described this as Han act like Barbarians while Barbarians act like Han. Thus the army became much more ruthless and disorganized, unstable that cared nothing but victory for money. You can also use common sense to think about it. What kinda people would risk their lives to go far away to fight? Well, there were definitely patriotists, migrants who wanna changed their lives, and also the bullies, thugs, criminals, homeless in society who can’t even be a normal farmer.
What are the red lines on the map?
The red lines are Allied troops, the red square at the bottom left is Paris, and the blue lines are the German troops. The black arrows were what was called the “Great Retreat”, where the Allies fell back during the German adva
What is the significance of the Battle of Talas?
Nothing significant is the battle of Talas. You have to understand what was going on in the mid-Tang Dynasty period before looking at that battle.
Overview
Aftermath
- What was called “the Battle of the Marne” was in fact two general actions, fought more or less simultaneously, along the Marne and its tributaries, peaking between September 6 and 9. Battle of the Ourcq Though Kluck’s right wheel had successfully prevented a flank attack by the 6th Army, he had in the process weakened his main front, facing south n...
Background
Battle
See also
Bibliography
At the start of the war, both sides had plans that they counted on to deliver a short war. 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. While the German invasion failed decisively to defeat the Entente in France, the German army occupied a good portion of northern France as well a…
Further reading
The Battle of the Frontiers is a general name for all the operations of the French armies from 7 August to 13 September. A series of encounter battles began between the German, French and Belgian armies on the German-French frontier and in southern Belgium on 4 August. Liège was occupied by the Germans on 7 August. The first units of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) landed in Franc…
World War I Begins
Late on 4 September, Joffre ordered the Sixth Army to attack eastwards over the Ourcq towards Château Thierry as the BEF advanced towards Montmirail, and the Fifth Army attacked northwards with its right flank protected by the Ninth Army along the St. Gond marshes. On 5 September, the Battle of the Ourcq commenced when the Sixth Army advanced eastwards from Paris. That morni…
The Schlieffen Plan
• Order of battle of the First Battle of the Marne
• World War I casualties
• La Ferté-sous-Jouarre memorial
• Second Battle of the Marne
The March to Paris
• Asprey, R. B. (1962). The First Battle of the Marne. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. OCLC 752821273.
• Blond, Georges (1967). The Marne (translation by H.E. Hart, of La Marne ed.). New York: Pyramid Books. OCLC 559095779.
• Boucard, Pauline (2013). Dictionnaire historique de Paris. La Pochothèque. ISBN 978-2-253-13140-3.
The Battle Begins
• Balderston, J. L. (1919). The Genius of the Marne: A Play in Three Scenes. New York: N. L. Brown. OCLC 562161101. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
• Carré, Henri (1921). La véritable histoire des taxis de la Marne (PDF). Paris: Librairie Chapelot. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
• Parmely, C. (15 May 1914). "August 1914 – The 1st Battle of Marne". Cnparm.home.texas.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2…
• Balderston, J. L. (1919). The Genius of the Marne: A Play in Three Scenes. New York: N. L. Brown. OCLC 562161101. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
• Carré, Henri (1921). La véritable histoire des taxis de la Marne (PDF). Paris: Librairie Chapelot. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
• Parmely, C. (15 May 1914). "August 1914 – The 1st Battle of Marne". Cnparm.home.texas.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
The Digging of Trenches
The Toll of The Battle of The Marne
The Second Battle of The Marne
- The new troops further pushed the Germans back, and on September 9 they began a retreat north of the Aisne River, where the battle came to an eventual close after a week of fighting that claimed upwards of 100,000 lives on both sides. Dubbed the Miracle of the Marne, the strategic victory for the Allies proved to be a critical turning point in Worl...