Battles & Campaigns · 1914
First Battle of Ypres
Ypres (Ieper), West Flanders, Belgium
What happened
After each side tried to get around the other on the way to the North Sea coast, Germany attacked to capture Ypres. Allied troops in hastily dug defences held off the German attacks for about four weeks. By November both sides were worn out and short of ammunition.
Why it matters
Neither side won. The battle showed that modern armies with artillery and machine guns could not easily break through, and the war in the West settled into trenches.
What came next
Over the winter Germany changed its plans toward a long war meant to wear the Allies down.
Did you know?
The phrase 'Race to the Sea' is a bit misleading: neither side was really racing to the coast, but trying to outflank the other until they ran out of room.
Timeline
- 16–31 Oct 1914Battle of the Yser.
- 19 Oct 1914First Battle of Ypres begins.
- 11 Nov 1914Fighting at Nonne Bosschen.
- 22 Nov 1914The battle ends.