Tombstone epitaph., 1915-08-08
FIRST YEAR OF THE
 WAR IN THE WEST

The first month and half Of the western campaign was made up of startling. swift moves. On September I2, after the defeat on the Msrne. the Germans took up defensive positions along the Aisne river. The ten and half months since then have seen Q long deadlock.
 The battle line Of the Aisne and the Disc quickly extended northeast to the sea. Fighting has been continuous. with tremendous losses. The general situation has remained unchanged. gains of a few miles for one side at one point offset by minor gains for the enemy in other sectors.
 At the beginning of August the kaiser took possession of the little state of Luxemburg and demanded passage through Belgium 10 the Fran co-Belgian frontier.
 Permission to pass denied. Non Einem attacked Liege August i, while other German armies passed around the city and swept over the level Belgian roads at terrific rate. The little Belgian army yielded Brus- sells and fell back 10 Antwerp and Ghent
 Flrs. Big Engagement.
 Not until the Germans had almost reached the French border did the first important engagement take place This is generally known as the battle of Mons-Charleroi tabout August 20 PSI. but al the same time there was severe fighting along the whole line through Thionville in Lorraine and along the Vosges in upper Alsace, which the French had invaded with temporary success.
 This battle resulted in defeat for the French and English
 While obtaining some successes in counter-attacks on the advancing Ger mans at Peronne and at Guise, the French were obliged to fall back rap idly to the line of the River Marne.
 On the left the French had with drawn to below Paris and the western most German army. under Won kluck, followed.
 The garrison of Paris was put in thousands of motor cars and hurled on Won Kluck's flank The latter was not taken entirely unavares and met the attack strongly, but al the same time the army of General Foch attacked the German army cn Won Kluck's left and drove il back.
 Driven Back From Paris
 The Germans had begun the battle with five armies in line. The with draval of the two farthest west now caused the retreat of the third, fourth and fifth in that order. each in turn finding its flank exposed by the with drawal of the troops on its right At the same time the movement on the east end of the German line was ac- celerated by a strong attack from the French fortified zone of Verdun.
 The German retreat was as orderly ss that of the French and English had been. The invaders took up an ad- mirable defensive position. It ran inst north of the Aisne river, on series of bluffs, then just north of Chalons and through the wooded rough regions of the Argonne and the "OeVIe, lOiuih8 hoheS A~~ ~ - truops sss:es!cs Verdun- The aiiies have tried this line in vain ever since
 Both combatants now tried to turn the west flank Enormous bodies oi cavalry. On the part of the French Flanders. On the part Of the French there was largely the desire to link up with the Belgians. now being attacked fin Antwerp. The mighty siege guns of the Germans made short work o' the Belgian seaport. however. and Il feil on October g. The remnants ol the Belgian army retreated along the sea coast and the Germans in hna rush reached Ostend October l5).
 Line Extended to the Sea
 The battle line of the Aisne was nov .rfended to the sea. the Germans hold fne the important French city Of Lille vhile the allies kept Ypres in Belgium and. partly by flooding the iow'anos held the position of the Yser river ans
 From October IS to November II vas fought the desperate first batu'