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

The frst month and a half Of the
western campaign was made up Of
startling. swift moves. On September
II. after the defeat on the Marne. the
Germans took up defensive positions
along the Aisne river. The ten and q
half months since then have seen .
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
ono 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 to the Fran
co-belEian frontier.
Einsm attacked Liege august y.
while other Germsp armies passed
around the city and swept over the
level Belgian roads at = terrific rate.
Tho little Belgian army yielded Brus-
sells and fell back to Antwerp and
Client.
r First Big Engagement.
Not until tho Germans had almost
reached the French border did the
nrst important engagement take place
This IL generally known As the battle
Of Mons. Charleroi (about August 20
2O. but at the same time there was
severe fighting along tho whole line
through Thionvills 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
eounter-attacks on the advancing Ger
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 mStor cars and hurled on
Won kluck's flank The latter was not
taken entirely unaNar.s and met the
attack strongly, bat al the same time
the army of General Foch attacked the
German army on Won kluck's left and
drove II back
Driven Back From Paris.
The Germans had begun the battle
With Ave armies In line. The with.
lrswAl OF the two iarthcst west now
caused the retreat OF the third. fourth
and NTH in that order, each In turn
dndinE Its flank exposed by the with
drHwal OF the troops on Its right Al
the same time the movement on the
east end OF the German line was &C.
CELEBRATED by strong attack from the
French fortified zone OF Nerdun.
The German retreat was as orderly
~ that OF the French and English had
been, The invaders took up AN ad.
mirable defensive position. II ran
Just north OF the Aisne river, on "A
series OF bufYs, then just north OF
Chalons and through the wooded
rough regions OF the Argonue and the
Wosvrs. Joining hands here with the
troops besicging Nerdun The nllios
have tried this line In vain ever since.
Both combatan,s now tried to turn
the west nsnk. Enormous bodies OF
cavalry On the part OF the French
Fanders. On the pai 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 .. The remnants OF
the Belgian army rctreatcd along the
SEA coast and the Germans IN final
rush reached Ostond October l5)
Line Extended 10 the Sea.
The battle line OF the Aisne was now
extended to the sea. the Germans hold
Ing tho important French city OF Lille
while the allies kept Yprcs In Belgium
and. partly by flooding the lowlands
held the position Of the User river and
canal.
From October lS 70 November IL
vas fought the desperate first battle