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Marne (BATTLES OF THE The first)
BATTLES OF THE. The first Battle of the Marne fought in September, 1914, marked a turning point in the European War. On Sept. 6 French and British halted their retreat from Mons and Charleroi and made a stand against the German armies. General von Kluck, unable to invest Paris as originally intended, while the French armies remained undefeated, was forced to stand and fight. The great struggle began on Sept. 6. Manoury's Sixth Army with Sordet's cavalry were concentrated near Amiens, their right on Roye and as Von Kluck swerved to the left this army was on the flank of the entire German line MEZIERES SEMOY ARLON NOYON COMPIEGNE OISE RIV.
SENLIS Ο CREPY 0 BEAUMONT PARIS MARNE RIV LAGNY LA FERE CHAUNY AISNE RIV.
SOISSONS MEAUX SCALE OF MILES 40 15 20 25 SO OURCO RIV Ο LAON CHATEAU MARNE THIERRY PTMORIN O SERRE RIV ROZOY OSISSONNE RIV AISNE RO RETHEL O REIMS SEPT. 9 MONTMIRAIL COULOMMIERS GD. MORIN AUBETIN RIV.
EPERNAY OSEZANNE SEPT. 5 SEDAN VOUZIERS AISNER SEPT. 18 Q MONTMEDY LONGWY STMENEHOULD TRIAUCOURT SEPT. 12 10 VITRY MEUSE R.
OTHAIN RIV VERDUN STMIHIEL COMMERCY BAR-LE-DINAIN RIV SAULX RIV LE FRANCOIS MARNE RIV.
FIRST BATTLE OF THE MARNE, SEPTEMBER, 1914 joining the Seine at Charenton, a few miles above Paris; length, 326 miles; is navigable for 126 miles up to St. Dizier.
It is connected by canals with the Rhine, the Aisne, and the Seine. See MARNE, BATTLES OF THE.. extending to Verdun. Next to the Sixth French Army were the British and then the Fifth French Army under D'Esperey, of four corps, with Conneau's cavalry between. The three armies operated together on Sept. 6. against the First (Von MARNE Kluck's) and the Second (Von Bülow's) Armies. A Ninth French Army under General Foch occupied the center of the line, joining Langle de Cary's Fourth Army eastward, where they were opposed by the Third Saxon and the Duke of Württemberg's Fourth Army. Farther east beyond the plain of Châlons were the Third French (Sarrail), Second (Castelnau), and First (Dubail) facing MARNE D'Esperey had failed, and Manoury and Sir John French had turned his flank.
The British had spread over the country between the Grande and Petit Morin and by night were in contact with Von Kluck's rear guard. D'Esperey captured Montmirail on the Petit Morin, exposing Von Kluck's right flank, and at night General Foch pushed forward his left wing and secured a position to the the Crown Prince of Prussia, the Crown left of Von Bülow. Foch discovered also Prince of Bavaria, and General von Hee- a gap between Von Kluck and Von Büringen. The Prussian Crown Prince's low's right, and by a daring move drove O ROYE MONTDIDIER JULY 18. 1918 NOYON COMPIEGNE OISE RIVER LA FERE CHAUNY COUCY AUGUST 18 AISNE RIVER SOISSONS O LAON CRAONNE CROO 1918 OBRAISNE FISMES OISE RIVER VILLERS-COTTERETS OULCHY OURCQ RIV.
O BETZ JULY 18.1918) AISNE RIV RETHEL ASFELD PONT FAVERGER VILLE-EN- TARDENOIS REIMS VESLE RIVER MARNE RIVER CHATEAU THIERRY DORMANS EPERNAY SECOND BATTLE OF THE MARNE, JULY TO AUGUST, 1918 army was driven back by Dubail, Sarrail, and Castelnau, and held from Nancy and Verdun. Manoury's Sixth was divided only from Von Kluck by the river Ourcq.
The German general crossed the Ourcq and fell upon the French Sixth Army with such violence that for two days victory hung in the balance for either side. Then 20,000 men, Republican Guards and gendarmes were rushed to the scene from Paris in cabs and automobiles and the Germans were forced to withdraw. Meanwhile D'Esperey's Fifth French Army on Sept. 6 had fought off the Third and Fourth German Corps.
The British co-operated in these operations, but the French bore the brunt of the fighting. On Sept. 7, the British and Fifth French moved northward. The Sixth French Army still struggled on the Ourcq. The Fifth drove the Germans back to the Petit Morin river. Foch's army held ground, fighting hard.
The French on the 8th advanced to Château-Thierry to reach the Marne river. The entire German right was in retreat.
Von Kluck's frontal movement against his right between the two German armies.
On the 9th Manoury won the line of the Ourcq; the British forced the Petit Morin, and by nightfall were near the Marne. Von Kluck was in full retreat.
By night D'Esperey, advancing from Montmirail, was in touch with the British at Château-Thierry. The German right had given way and Von Bülow's right, furiously attacked by Foch in the morning of Sept. 9, while holding ground was still in peril. Two of Von Bülow's corps, driven into the marshes of St.
Gond, lost heavily before they could gain high ground on the following morning.
Von Bülow's left and Von Hausen came under especially heavy French_artillery fire, while at the same time Foch and Langle de Cary made violent direct attacks. Von Bülow was driven several miles toward Epernay and Von Hausen almost to Châlons. The Germans had now received reinforcements and their defense stiffened, but nothing could check seriously the Allies' drive. By night on Sept. 10 the battle was in its last throes.
General Foch was near Châlons and MARNE General Langle de Cary occupied Vihy. other Oriental Christians, on account of Foch pushed on and entered Châlons.
Manoury's Sixth French Army was moving along the right bank of the Ourcq toward Compiègne, driving Von Bülow almost to Rheims. On Sept. 12 the Germans had reached their prepared positions on the Aisne river. The first Battle of the Marne was more of a moral victory for the Allies than a material one. It gave them time to prepare and forever shattered German hopes of a swift victory over France on which they had counted.
The second Battle of the Marne began on July 15, 1918, when General Foch's drive against the Germans was under way, culminating in their collapse. The Americans attacking at Vaux northwest of Château-Thierry at first lost ground and then drove the enemy across the Marne. On July 16 the Germans developed their positions on the south bank of the Marne east of Mazy and south of Dormans. Penetration at Bligny was developed by the Allies south to the Marne. July 18-23 French and American detachments under General Mangin attacked the right wing of the Prussian Crown Prince between Soissons and Château-Thierry on a 28-mile front with a penetration of 6 miles as far as the river Crise. The Allies saved the plateau of Soissons and recovered the entire sector northwest of Château-Thierry. In the center they crossed the Marne, threatening Jaulgonne. The booty from July 18 to 23, amounted to 25,000 prisoners and over 400 guns.