r line from
Verdun to Switzerland. The German armies, already worn down by their
exertions and their losses, were now to be attacked by their foe,
whom they regarded as already vanquished.

The first phase of the Battle of the Marne was fought northeast of
Paris along the Ourcq, which gives its name to the local battle.
Kluck had marched past the French capital, going south along its
eastern front and leaving only small guards to cover his rear and
flank. He had before him the British and on his flank the new Paris
army, of the existence of which he was totally ignorant. In Joffre's
strategy this army was to strike east while the British struck
north, together they were to act like the two blades of a pair of
scissors. Between them Kluck was to be destroyed and his rout would
expose the flank and rear of all the German forces in France.

The French struck with great promptness, but the British failed to
move quickly enough. Kluck extricated himself from between the
blades with supreme generalship, brought his main force back against
the French, borrowing a corps from Buelow and presently the French
were driven back upon Paris. British slowness had wrecked the master
stroke of Joffre's strategy.

But in the center the situation was changing. Joffre had issued his
famous order to attack upon September 5. The Paris army under
Manoury had struck on the 6th, and the French offensive had steadily
communicated itself from west to east along the whole line, that is,
to the British army, then to the armies of Franchet d'Esperey, of
Foch, of De Langle de Cary, of Sarrail. In the French center about
September 9, General Foch, commanding still another new army, had
begun his attack. By a combination of operations, which remain the
most brilliant of the war, he flung a portion of the Germans before
him into the marshes of St. Gond and routed the remainder. In this
field the Germans now began a retreat which was almost a rout.
Meantime, further to the east, Sarrail, holding Verdun, had begun to
attack the crown prince, who was in difficulty.

Foch's success was decisive, Kluck and Buelow began their retreat,
leaving their own fights undecided. Hausen, who faced Foch, was
removed in disgrace, and his army now in bad shape, went back to
Chalons and then to the Rheims-Argonne district. The crown prince
with difficulty drew his forces out of the lower Argonne and north
of Verdun. The French victory in Lorraine had also become absolu