The Battle of Marne, 1914: A Battlefield Guide

by Andrew Uffindell

Overview

A traveler’s guide to the history and sites of the World War I battle in the Marne River valley in France.

The First Battle of the Marne was one of the most pivotal battles in history. Fought outside Paris in September 1914, it turned the tide of the German invasion of France and robbed Kaiser Wilhelm II of his best chance of winning the First World War.

The battle began when the French and British armies launched a massive counter-offensive, and it ended—after five, tense days of fluctuating fortunes—in a German retreat. The so-called “miracle of the Marne” was among the most crucial episodes of the war, and yet no complete, in-depth guide to the battlefield has been available until now in English.

Andrew Uffindell begins his guidebook with a gripping account of the battle, followed by a series of easy-to-follow tours of the battlefield. Each tour covers a particular sector in detail, using vivid eyewitness accounts to reveal what the fighting was like for the men in the front line.

This unique and highly illustrated book enables readers to explore the battlefield and retrace the course of those dramatic events for themselves. It gives directions to dozens of museums, cemeteries, and monuments, including the memorials to the famous “taxis of the Marne.” It will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Great War, and an essential companion for visitors keen to see the actual terrain over which the battle was fought.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783469079
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/24/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Andrew Uffindel is one of the leading experts on the Napoleonic era. He is the author of many books and articles in this field, including The National Army Museum book of Wellington’s Armies; Napoleon’s Immortals, Napoleon 1814 and Waterloo Commanders.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vi

Introduction 1

Advice for tourers 13

Battlefield tours 17

Tour 1 Opening clash 19

Tour 2 Battle of the Ourcq 42

Tour 3 Joffre's offensive 74

Tour 4 The British advance 98

Tour 5 Forcing the Marne 119

Tour 6 Foch's victory 146

Tour 7 The fight for Mondement 175

Further afield 190

Dormans 190

Montmirail 191

Bar-sur-Aube 192

Vaux-le-Pénil 194

Paris 196

Taxis of the Marne 197

Further reading 201

Useful addresses and websites 207

Index 209