History of the World War, Volume 1 (of 7) : $b An authentic narrative of the world's greatest warMarch, Francis A., Jr.
History
History of the World War, Volume 1 (of 7) : $b An authentic narrative of the world's greatest war
March, Francis A., Jr.
World War, 1914-1918
To the right of these two armies were three others. They had orders to
cover themselves to the north and to debouch toward the west on the
flank of the enemy, which was operating to the west of the Argonne.
But a wide interval in which the Germans were in force separated them
from the French center. The attack took place, nevertheless, with very
brilliant success for the French artillery, which destroyed eleven
batteries of the Sixteenth German army corps.
On the 10th inst., the Eighth and Fifteenth German army corps
counter-attacked, but were repulsed. On the 11th French progress
continued with new successes, and on the 12th the French were able to
face round toward the north in expectation of the near and inevitable
retreat of the enemy, which, in fact, took place from the 13th.
The withdrawal of the mass of the German force involved also that of
the left. From the 12th onward the forces of the enemy operating
between Nancy and the Vosges retreated in a hurry before the two French
armies of the East, which immediately occupied the positions that
the enemy had evacuated. The offensive of the French right had thus
prepared and consolidated in the most useful way the result secured by
the left and center.
Such was this seven days’ battle, in which more than two millions of
men were engaged. Each army gained ground step by step, opening the
road to its neighbor, supported at once by it, taking in flank the
adversary which the day before it had attacked in front, the efforts of
one articulating closely with those of the other, a perfect unity of
intention and method animating the supreme command.
To give this victory all its meaning it is necessary to add that it was
gained by troops which for two weeks had been retreating, and which,
when the order for the offensive was given, were found to be as ardent
as on the first day. It has also to be said that these troops had to
meet the whole German army. Under their pressure the German retreat at
certain times had the appearance of a rout.
In spite of the fatigue of the poilus, in spite of the power of the
German heavy artillery, the French took colors, guns, mitrailleuses,
shells, and thousands of prisoners. One German corps lost almost the
whole of its artillery.
In that great battle the spectacular rush of General Gallieni’s army
defending Paris, was one of the dramatic surprises that decided the
issue. In that stroke Gallieni sent his entire force forty miles to
attack the right wing of the German army. In this gigantic maneuver
every motor car in Paris was utilized, and the flying force of Gallieni
became the “Army in Taxicabs,” a name that will live as long as France
exists.
General Clergerie, Chief of Staff of Gallieni, told the story for
posterity. He said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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