The Battle of the Marne, September 1914

What was the Battle of the Marne?

The Battle of the Marne was the conflict in the early days of the First World War in which the advance of the German forces under the Schlieffen Plan was halted, forcing both sides to dig in and fortify their positions with trenches.

When was the Battle of the Marne?

The Battle of the Marne took place between the 6th and the 10th September 1914.

Where did the Battle of the Marne take place?

The Battle of the Marne took place along the banks of the River Marne in France. In places, the fighting took occurred just 30 miles from Paris.

What happened at the Battle of the Marne?

The BEF, after retreating from Mons, joined the French army in halting the German advance. The Germans fell back to the River Aisne and began to fortify their positions to prevent further retreat.

Why was the German advance stopped at the Battle of the Marne?

There were 2 main reasons why the Germans were stopped at the Marne:

• ❖ Some German soldiers had marched 150 miles and were exhausted from combat.
• ❖ They were held up because the French destroyed bridges and roads as they retreated.

What was the significance of the Battle of the Marne?

The Battle of the Marne was very significant to the outcome of the First World War:

• ❖ It halted the German advance into France, although the Germans continued to hold large areas of industrial north-east France.
• ❖ Both sides dug in to fortify their positions. This marked the beginning of trench warfare and of the stalemate that would last until 1918.