The Battle of Masurian Lakes was fought in September 1914. Masurian Lakes was the second defeat for the Russian Army in World War One at the hands of the German army - the previous month had seen the destruction of the Russian Second Army at the Battle of Tannenburg.
Just as Ludendorff and Hindenburg had seen off Samsonov at Tannenburg, they wanted the second part of what had been intended as a Russian pincer movement in East Prussia defeated - Rennenkampf's Russian First Army. With Samsonov's Second Army defeated, Rennenkampf was in a much weaker position in East Prussia. If Rennenkampf's force was taken out, then Germany's eastern border was much more secure from attack and the potential existed to transfer men to the Western Front.
The battle at the Masurian Lakes was not as one-sided as Tannenburg had been. The Germans started their attack on September 7th 1914. By September 9th, Rennenkampf, his army outnumbered by 3 to 1, ordered an orderly withdrawal. Two divisions were left behind to slow down the German advance and to allow the Russians the opportunity to withdraw unhindered.
By September 13th, Rennenkampf had achieved this orderly withdrawal but Russia had pulled all of her troops out of East Prussia. However, Rennenkampf had the semblance of his army left - unlike the Russian Second Army. Despite Rennenkampf's success in withdrawing his men from Prussia, the battle at Masurian Lakes still cost the Russian First Army 125,000 men and 150 artillery guns. The Germans lost 40,000 men.
The success of the Battle of Masurian Lakes, coming so soon after Tannenburg, did a great deal to raise even further the profile of Hindenburg and Ludendorff in Germany.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Sunday, 14 February 2010
The First Battle of the Marne
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
Why did the Germans resort to digging trenches especially as they had not been trained in the 'art' of trench warfare in the lead up to the attack on Belgium? The Schlieffen Plan had been a plan of attack that did not cater for either defeat or retreat. Therefore the German High Command had not planned for anything like what might happen if the French fought back. Hence when the German army had retreated forty miles from the Marne, it had no other plan than to dig in and wait for the advancing Allied army.
The Battle of the Marne was very costly in terms of casualties. In fact, it was a precursor of what was to come. Some 250,000 French soldiers were lost and the Germans suffered about the same casualties. The BEF lost just under 13,000 men. However, Paris was saved and the Germans expected outcome of the Schlieffen Plan had faltered. Now years of trench warfare was to dominate the Western Front.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
The First Battle of the Marne was fought in September 1914. By September 12th, the end of the Battle of the Marne, the war of movement seen since August 1914 had gone and the trench warfare associated with World War One had come into being.
When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd 1914, their movement across Western Europe was swift and in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan. The Belgium army was swept aside with relative ease and the British Expeditionary Army (BEF) had retreated at the Battle of Mons. General French had wanted the BEF to withdraw to the coast but this had been forbidden by Lord Kitchener who ordered that the BEF should not separate itself from the French army. The French army retreated towards the River Marne and it was here that both German and French armies fought out the first major battle on the Western Front.
The German advance got them as near as 30 miles to Paris. The French capital got itself ready for a siege and the French government left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.
The French army under the command of Joseph Joffre reached an area to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a fortnight the French army had been on the retreat and many feared that it was not in a fit enough state to fight the seemingly invincible and constantly advancing German army.
Joffre decided that the best form of defence was to attack. Joffre ordered an attack on the German First Army. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers of the Sixth Army attacked the right flank of the German army. The Germans had to face up this attack and as a result a sizeable split occurred in the whole German army attacking Paris as the German First Army had to redirect its attention towards the French Sixth Army. This gap, of about 45 kilometres, was exploited by the BEF and the French Fifth Army. However, the momentum of attack lay with the Germans and the Sixth Army, led by Maunoury, faced almost certain defeat had it not been helped by 6,000 infantry reservists who were transported out to the battlefield in taxi cabs!
On September 6th, the French army managed to increase the gap between the German First and Second Armies. This further hampered communications for the Germans. This meant that the senior officers commanding the German attack got confusing messages about what was going on in the actual battle zone.
Von Moltke, the German Chief of Staff, feared that the Allies, rather than simply driving a gap between two of his armies, were in a position whereby they could not only halt the German advance but defeat the German armies involved in the attack on Paris. Because of this communication breakdown, on September 9th, von Moltke ordered his armies to retreat and they withdrew to an area near the River Aisne. Here the Germans dug in and dug trenches. Little would they have guessed that these trenches were to dominate the war for several years to come.
Why did the Germans resort to digging trenches especially as they had not been trained in the 'art' of trench warfare in the lead up to the attack on Belgium? The Schlieffen Plan had been a plan of attack that did not cater for either defeat or retreat. Therefore the German High Command had not planned for anything like what might happen if the French fought back. Hence when the German army had retreated forty miles from the Marne, it had no other plan than to dig in and wait for the advancing Allied army.
The Battle of the Marne was very costly in terms of casualties. In fact, it was a precursor of what was to come. Some 250,000 French soldiers were lost and the Germans suffered about the same casualties. The BEF lost just under 13,000 men. However, Paris was saved and the Germans expected outcome of the Schlieffen Plan had faltered. Now years of trench warfare was to dominate the Western Front.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
The Battle of the Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major battle of World War One. Mons was a battle of movement unlike the battles that followed which involved trench warfare.
German troops invaded Belgium on August 3rd. British troops from the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) had crossed to mainland Europe on August 14th. The BEF was led by Sir John French and by the time the BEF had got to Belgium they were behind with their schedule. French wanted a cautious approach until he and his force met up with the French Fifth Army led by General Lanrezac. The plan was for both forces to join up at Charleroi.
On August 22nd, the BEF came across cavalry patrols from the German First Army and engaged them. General French made plans to attack the German force that he assumed had to be in the region if they were sending out cavalry patrols. British intelligence warned him to be more cautious as the size of the German army in the vicinity was not known.
As a result of this intelligence, French ordered his men to dig defensive positions near the Mons Canal. The commander of the German First Army, Kluck, was surprised by the proximity of the British forces. He and his army had just engaged Lanrezac in battle (the Battle of Sambre) and was pursuing the French army south.
Kluck determined to take on the BEF and they first engaged the British in battle on August 23rd. French had deployed his men across a 40 kilometre front. The BEF was heavily outnumbered. The BEF had 70,000 men and 300 artillery guns whereas the German’s had 160,000 men and 600 artillery guns.
Despite such overwhelming numbers, the Germans did not do well at the start of the battle. The BEF may have been referred to as a bunch of “contemptibles” by the Kaiser William II, but they were professional soldiers. The Germans believed that they were facing many British machine guns at Mons. In fact, they were infantry men firing their Lee Enfield rifles but at such a combined speed that they gave the Germans that impression. German intelligence had estimated that the BEF had 28 machine guns per battalion at Mons - whereas each battalion only had two! After his experiences of the BEF at the Battle of Mons, Kluck, after the war had finished, described the BEF as an "incomparable army".
The XII Brandenburg Grenadiers attacking the 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment lost 25 officers and over 500 men. The 75th Bremen Regiment lost 5 officers and 376 men in just one attack, such was the ferocity of the BEF's gunfire and their well dug defensive positions.
However, by evening French realised that the German army he faced was much bigger than his army. Also, unknown to him, the French army led by Lanrezac had retreated leaving the British army more exposed. French ordered his army to retreat. Kluck did not attack this retreat as he had to deal with the casualties in his army. However, on August 26th, a British rearguard guarding the retreat of the bulk of the BEF did sustain 8,000 casualties at the Battle of Le Chateau.
French wanted to withdraw his army to the coast but this was forbidden by Lord Kitchener who insisted that British stayed in contact with the French army as they retreated to the Marne River.
German troops invaded Belgium on August 3rd. British troops from the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) had crossed to mainland Europe on August 14th. The BEF was led by Sir John French and by the time the BEF had got to Belgium they were behind with their schedule. French wanted a cautious approach until he and his force met up with the French Fifth Army led by General Lanrezac. The plan was for both forces to join up at Charleroi.
On August 22nd, the BEF came across cavalry patrols from the German First Army and engaged them. General French made plans to attack the German force that he assumed had to be in the region if they were sending out cavalry patrols. British intelligence warned him to be more cautious as the size of the German army in the vicinity was not known.
As a result of this intelligence, French ordered his men to dig defensive positions near the Mons Canal. The commander of the German First Army, Kluck, was surprised by the proximity of the British forces. He and his army had just engaged Lanrezac in battle (the Battle of Sambre) and was pursuing the French army south.
Kluck determined to take on the BEF and they first engaged the British in battle on August 23rd. French had deployed his men across a 40 kilometre front. The BEF was heavily outnumbered. The BEF had 70,000 men and 300 artillery guns whereas the German’s had 160,000 men and 600 artillery guns.
Despite such overwhelming numbers, the Germans did not do well at the start of the battle. The BEF may have been referred to as a bunch of “contemptibles” by the Kaiser William II, but they were professional soldiers. The Germans believed that they were facing many British machine guns at Mons. In fact, they were infantry men firing their Lee Enfield rifles but at such a combined speed that they gave the Germans that impression. German intelligence had estimated that the BEF had 28 machine guns per battalion at Mons - whereas each battalion only had two! After his experiences of the BEF at the Battle of Mons, Kluck, after the war had finished, described the BEF as an "incomparable army".
The XII Brandenburg Grenadiers attacking the 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment lost 25 officers and over 500 men. The 75th Bremen Regiment lost 5 officers and 376 men in just one attack, such was the ferocity of the BEF's gunfire and their well dug defensive positions.
However, by evening French realised that the German army he faced was much bigger than his army. Also, unknown to him, the French army led by Lanrezac had retreated leaving the British army more exposed. French ordered his army to retreat. Kluck did not attack this retreat as he had to deal with the casualties in his army. However, on August 26th, a British rearguard guarding the retreat of the bulk of the BEF did sustain 8,000 casualties at the Battle of Le Chateau.
French wanted to withdraw his army to the coast but this was forbidden by Lord Kitchener who insisted that British stayed in contact with the French army as they retreated to the Marne River.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Why the First World War Began
June 28th 1914 and Gavrilo Princip would fire two bullets that would change Europe forever. Those two bullets which killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his beloved wife Sophie would in the end cause nine million deaths and total mayhem in Europe.
The First Death
When he fired those shots Princip had no idea that his actions would engulf all of Europe believing that he was simply making a political statement while striking a blow against oppression. He and his motley crew of conspirators believed they were just striking a blow for their cause, the creation of a Greater Serbia.
The fact is that these conspirators knew very little about Archduke Franz Ferdinand but as he was the head of the Hapsburg Empire he was the personification of Austrian oppression of Bosnian Serbs.
Princip had been born into a poor family and knew only too well the oppression and suffering of the Bosnian Serbs. His family tilled a four-acre plot of land in the Krajina, the most impoverished region of Bosnia. Owning land was not allowed and one third of the cash value of their meager crops had to be paid to a landlord, usually a Muslim.
Princip's Early years
Gavrilo Princip was one of ten children of whom only four survived infancy. He was an undersized frail child and youth and was bullied by his peers. To escape his unhappy existence Princip turned his attention to books, which he later recalled ‘were his life.’ Princip particularly concentrated on books about Serbian history and wept over the tragic defeat at Kosovo making a vow that he would take up arms for the cause of a united Serbia.
In 1913 Princip moved to Belgrade to further his education. He began reading the teachings of the Russian anarchists, particularly those that advocated the use of tyranicide to liberate oppressed people
Princip decided that Franz Ferdinand had to be assassinated and recruited some young men to join his cause.
Archduke Ferdinand Plans to visit Bosnia
The opportunity arose when in February 1914 the teenagers read that the Archduke would be in Bosnia on June 28th. This being the anniversary of the battle of Kosovo led Princip to believe that this was an obvious opportunity for a symbolic act.
On the 28th June 1914 the conspirators placed themselves along the motorcade route at intervals each armed with a bomb and four of them with shotguns. The first bomb was thrown and missed the Archduke by inches. The Archduke halted the procession to see if anyone had been seriously injured. This brought him in front of Princip but Princip was too short to see over the on-lookers and had no field of fire. The procession moved on.
Half an hour later the motorcade came back down the quay at high speed. The Archdukes driver made a wrong turn that would bring about a final rendezvous with Princip and death.
Princip was too young to receive the death penalty and received the maximum twenty years imprisonment.
The First Death
When he fired those shots Princip had no idea that his actions would engulf all of Europe believing that he was simply making a political statement while striking a blow against oppression. He and his motley crew of conspirators believed they were just striking a blow for their cause, the creation of a Greater Serbia.
The fact is that these conspirators knew very little about Archduke Franz Ferdinand but as he was the head of the Hapsburg Empire he was the personification of Austrian oppression of Bosnian Serbs.
Princip had been born into a poor family and knew only too well the oppression and suffering of the Bosnian Serbs. His family tilled a four-acre plot of land in the Krajina, the most impoverished region of Bosnia. Owning land was not allowed and one third of the cash value of their meager crops had to be paid to a landlord, usually a Muslim.
Princip's Early years
Gavrilo Princip was one of ten children of whom only four survived infancy. He was an undersized frail child and youth and was bullied by his peers. To escape his unhappy existence Princip turned his attention to books, which he later recalled ‘were his life.’ Princip particularly concentrated on books about Serbian history and wept over the tragic defeat at Kosovo making a vow that he would take up arms for the cause of a united Serbia.
In 1913 Princip moved to Belgrade to further his education. He began reading the teachings of the Russian anarchists, particularly those that advocated the use of tyranicide to liberate oppressed people
Princip decided that Franz Ferdinand had to be assassinated and recruited some young men to join his cause.
Archduke Ferdinand Plans to visit Bosnia
The opportunity arose when in February 1914 the teenagers read that the Archduke would be in Bosnia on June 28th. This being the anniversary of the battle of Kosovo led Princip to believe that this was an obvious opportunity for a symbolic act.
On the 28th June 1914 the conspirators placed themselves along the motorcade route at intervals each armed with a bomb and four of them with shotguns. The first bomb was thrown and missed the Archduke by inches. The Archduke halted the procession to see if anyone had been seriously injured. This brought him in front of Princip but Princip was too short to see over the on-lookers and had no field of fire. The procession moved on.
Half an hour later the motorcade came back down the quay at high speed. The Archdukes driver made a wrong turn that would bring about a final rendezvous with Princip and death.
Princip was too young to receive the death penalty and received the maximum twenty years imprisonment.
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