CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface v

CHAP.

I. The Deluge 1

II. A Tragedy of Errors—

i. The German Plan of Campaign 10

ii. The Forces in Play 14

iii. The French War Doctrine 20

iv. The Three French Offensives 28

v. The Battle of Charleroi-Mons 34

III. Joffre Starts Afresh—

i. Ecce Homo! 46

ii. The Second New Plan 54

iii. Battle of the Gap of Charmes 61

iv. Battles of Le Cateau, Guise, and Launois 64

v. End of the Long Retreat 71

IV. The Great Dilemma, Paris–Verdun—

i. The Government leaves the Capital 76

ii. Kluck plunges South-Eastward 79

iii. Joffre’s Opportunity 84

V. The Order of Battle—

i. Gallieni’s Initiative 92

ii. General Offensive of the Allies 95

Strength and Position of the Armies 97

iii. Features of the Battlefield 106

iv. The Last Summons 110

VI. Battle of the Ourcq—

i. A Premature Engagement 113

ii. The British Manœuvre 118

iii. A Race of Reinforcements 126

iv. The Paris Taxi-Cabs 129

VII. The “Effect of Suction”—

i. French and d’Espérey strike North 135

ii. Battle of the Marshes of St. Gond 142

iii. Defence and Recapture of Mondemont 148

iv. Foch’s Centre broken 155

v. Fable and Fact of a Bold Manœuvre 160

VIII. From Vitry to Verdun—

i. The Battle of Vitry-le-François 169

ii. Sarrail holds the Meuse Salient 175

IX. Victory 184

X. The Defence of the East 197

XI. Summing-up 214

Index 271

NOTES AND REFERENCES

The German Objective (p. 239); The Opposed Forces (p. 240); De Bloch’s Prophecy and French’s Confession (p. 242); Criticisms and Defence of the French Staff (p. 244); The Surprise in the North (p. 247); The Abandonment of Lille (p. 252); M. Hanotaux and the B.E.F. (p. 252); The Fall of Maubeuge (p. 256); Paris and the German Plan (p. 259); Some Books on the Battle (p. 263); General Bonnal and the British Army (p. 265); Scenes at Farthest South (p. 266); The Myth of the 42nd Division (p. 268).