First Battle of the Marne
Marne River near Brasles, east of Paris, France
What happened
French commander Joseph Joffre, with General Joseph Gallieni defending Paris and Sir John French's British army, fought the German armies of Helmuth von Moltke, Alexander von Kluck and Karl von Bülow. At the start of World War I, Germany's plan was to sweep through Belgium and capture Paris quickly, and by early September German troops were only about 40 km from the city. On 6 September Joffre launched a counter-attack, and when von Kluck turned his army to face Gallieni's troops near Paris, a gap opened between two German armies. French and British forces pushed into the gap, and Moltke ordered the Germans to retreat.
Why it matters
Result: Entente victory Failure of Schlieffen Plan. Leaders: Joseph Joffre / Joseph Gallieni against Helmuth von Moltke / Alexander von Kluck. Why it matters: The battle saved Paris and ended Germany's hope of winning the war quickly. Both sides then dug in, beginning four years of trench warfare.
What came next
The Germans fell back about 65 km to the Aisne River, and Moltke was replaced on 14 September. The two sides then tried to outflank each other all the way to the coast, in what became known as the 'Race to the Sea'.
Did you know?
About 600 Paris taxis were reportedly used to rush soldiers to the front, though historians argue about how much difference they really made.
Timeline
- August 1914German armies advance through Belgium toward Paris.
- 6 September 1914Joffre launches the French counter-attack.
- September 1914The Germans retreat to the Aisne River.
- 14 September 1914Moltke is replaced by Erich von Falkenhayn.
- 1921Gallieni is made a Marshal of France after his death.