First Battle of the Marne

A First World War battle fought in northeastern France in September 1914, where French and British forces halted the German advance toward Paris.

Battle of the Ourcq: A battle on the Marne’s western flank, fought from 5 to 9 September 1914 between French and German forces. Maunoury’s attack against the German flank helped force Kluck to turn troops away from Paris.
Schlieffen Plan: A German strategic concept for defeating France through a rapid advance across Belgium before turning against Russia. Its planned western sweep brought German armies toward Paris in 1914.
Joseph Joffre: The French commander-in-chief at the outbreak of the First World War. He reorganized French forces and ordered the counteroffensive at the Marne.
Race to the Sea: A series of outflanking maneuvers and battles in northern France and Belgium in autumn 1914. After the Marne, both sides tried to outflank the other toward the North Sea.
Château de Mondement: A château near the Saint-Gond marshes that became a French defensive strongpoint during the First Battle of the Marne. Its defense illustrates the fierce struggle in the battle’s central sector.
Battle of the Deux Morins: A series of engagements east of the Ourcq during the First Battle of the Marne. Fighting along the Petit and Grand Morin rivers marked the French advance against German forces.
Battle of the Frontiers: A series of clashes in August 1914 between French, British, and German armies along the Franco-Belgian border. Allied defeats there began the retreat that ended at the Marne.
John French: The British field marshal who commanded the British Expeditionary Force in 1914. His doubts about continuing the campaign strained Allied coordination before the battle.
First Battle of the Aisne: A battle fought in September 1914 after German forces withdrew north of the Marne. The Allied pursuit met German defenses along the Aisne, beginning a prolonged stalemate.
Ourcq River: A river in northeastern France that flows into the Marne near Lizy-sur-Ourcq. The river gives its name to the battle on the Marne’s western flank.

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