the German left could pierce the
French lines at Nancy and pour through the Gap of Lorraine, it would be
able to take General Sarrail's army in the rear at Bar-le-Duc, and would
thus completely hem it in, at the same time isolating Verdun, which,
thus invested in the course of time must fall, forming an invaluable
advanced fortress to the German advance.

[Illustration: Battle of the Marne--Situation on September 9, 1914.]

Before proceeding to the actual working out of this plan of campaign it
may be well to recapitulate it, in order that each development may be
clear. The German plan was to pierce the French line at three places, at
Meaux, at Bar-le-Duc and at Nancy. General von Kluck, at Meaux, would
cut off the Fifth and the Ninth Armies from communication with their
base at Paris, the Bavarian Crown Prince would weaken General Sarrail's
defense in the rear, and if possible come up behind him, and thus the
stage would be set for the great onrush of the Imperial Crown Prince,
who, with an almost fresh army, and with a most complete and elaborate
system of communications and supplies, should be able to crush the weak
point in France's defense, the army under General Sarrail. Such a
victory was designed to shed an especial luster upon the crown prince
and thus upon the Hohenzollern dynasty, a prestige much needed, for the
delays in the advance of the crown prince's army had already given rise
to mutterings of discontent. From a strategical point of view the plan
was sound and brilliant, the disposition of the forces was excellently
contrived, and the very utmost of military skill had been used in
bringing matters to a focus.

The French plan, is the next to be considered. From official orders and
dispatches and also from the developments of that week, it is clear that
General Joffre had perceived the possibility of such a plan as the
Germans had actually conceived. He had brought back his armies--and
there is nothing harder to handle than a retreating army--step by step
over northern France without losing them their morale. The loss of life
was fearful, but it never became appalling. The French soldiers had
faith in Joffre, even as their faith in France, and, while the Germans
had victories to cheer them on, the soldiers of the Allies had to keep
up their courage under the perpetual strain of retreat. The
administration had evacuated Paris. Everywhere it seemed that the
weakness of France was becoming apparent. To th