The Raymer enterprise., 1915-08-05
FIRST YEAR OF THE
WAR IN THE WEST

WIFI 1N uuI "ISt
The FIRST month and a half OF the
western campaign was made up OF
startling. swift moves On September
IL, after the defeat on the Marne. the
Germans took up defensive positions
along the Aisne river. The ten and a
half months since then have seen a
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 few miles for one side ut
one point Offset by minor gains for
the enemy In other sectors
Al the beginning of August the
kaiser took possession Of the little
state Of Luxemburg and demanded
passage through Belgium to the Fran.
eo-Bclgian frontier
Permission to pass denied Won
Elnem attacked Liege Angus. A..
while other German armies passed
around the city and swept over the
level Belgian roads at a terrific rate
The little Belgian army yielded Brus-
sets and iell back to Antwerp aud
Ghent
/ First Big Engagement
Not until the Germans had almost
reached the French border did the
tirAt important engagement take place
This Is generally known as the battle
OF Mons. Charleroi labout August 20
2sl, but at the same time there was
severe lighting along the whole line
through Thiunvillt in Lorraine and
along the Vosges In upper Alsaee.
which the French had invaded with
temporary success
This battle resulted in defeat for the
French and English,
While obtaining some successes In
couuter-attacks on the advancing Ger.
mana at Peronne and at Guise, the
French were Obliged to fall back rap.
idly to the line of the River Marne.
Tn the left the French had with
drawn 10 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 unawares and met the
attack strongly. but at the same time
the army OF General Foch attacked the
German army on Won Kluek's left aud
drove il back
Driven Back From Paris.
The Germans had begun the battle
with five armies In line The with.
drawal OF the two farthest west now
caused the retreat OF the. third, fourth
and NTH in that order. each In turn
finding It's flank exposed by the with
draWal of the troops OH its right. Al
the same time the movement on the
east end OF tho German line was ac-
celerated by a strong attack from the
French fortified zone OF Verdun.
The German retreat was as orderly
AS that OF the French and English had
been The invaders took UP an sd-
mirable defensive position. 1t ran
Just north Of the Aisne river. on a
series OF biuffs. then Just north OF
ChaluBs and through the wooded,
rough regions of the Argonnc and the
Woeyre, joining hands here with the
troops besieglng Verdun The allies
have tried this line in vain ever since.
Both combatants now tried TO turn
the west flank Enormous bodies OF
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
In Antwerp. The mighty Siege guns
of the Germans made short work OF
the Belgian seaport. however, and it
fell on October 9. The remnants OF
the Belgian army retreated along the
Sea coast and the Germans in a final
rush reached 0stend October l5l.
Line Extended to the Sea.
The battle line of the Aisne was now
extended TO the sea. the Germans hold.
Ing the important French city OF Lille,
while the allies kept Ypres In Belgium
and. partly by flooding the lowlands,
held the position Of the User river and
canal.
From October ls to November 10
vas fought the desperate first battle