New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-31
The First Year of the War.

The First Year of the War.
The purpose of this review is to sum-
Marie briefly the main military phases
of the first year of the war. To do TINS
it is perhaps simplest to accept the unity
supplied by the three major campaigns
those Of Germany against France, OF
Russia against Austria and, finally, OF
Germany against Russia, which is still
going forward. A fourth division may be
found in the attempted offensives of the
Allies in the west, so far unsuccessful IN
the larger view, at the Dardanelles, and
in the fields now invaded by Italy, where
AGAIN the results are as yet without real
meaning.
The effort will be made here to show
what was In the minds Of the high COM
mand of the armies making the several
bids for decision, the extent OF the sue
cess or failure, and the causes, so far as
they are yet set forth in any official or
unofficial but trustworthy comment. Save
for the Battle Of the Marine, which is, so
far. the one clearly decisive engagement
Of the whole war, little attention will be
Maid to individual engagements.
l. Germany Against France.
The first phase of the world war was
comprehended in a tremendous effort OF
the whole German military establishment,
save for perhaps 100000 troops sent 10
hold back the first Russian columns IN
the east. to crush French military power,
take Paris. remove the French as factor
in the present war, achieve a decision
exactly similar to that won in the Franco
Prussian War and obtain it in the same
time. It was Of prime importance to win
ouicklv. because there was perfect reall-
zation in Berlin that Austria hungary
could not permanently deal with the Rus
sian armies single-handed.
Since the French frontier f n Luxem-
burg 70 Switzerland was fort I'd strong
~. German military chiefs recognized
that it could not be forced without delays
that might make it possible for Russia
10 DISPOSE of Austria before France had
been put out. Accordingly, the invasion
of France by way of Belgium was decided
uDon. and at least 100000 men were
sent in three armies through Belgian ter
ritorv. while three more of about equal
strength were employed through LuXem-
burg. Lorraine and Alsace.
In thinking Of the first campaign 1t is
well to remember always that the Ger
mans had but two things in mind, to de-
strov French armies utterly and to do this
within the first six weeks Of the war. The
capture Of forts, cities, the success in IN
cidental engagements, was OF no rea
meaning if the great decision was not TO DC
had. The German strategy aimed at an
initiation. expected to achieve it and con
Quoted the operation with disregard OF
all expense of life and equipment which
was only conceivable as the price of a
supreme success.
Conversely, the sole problem Of the
French in this same period was to keep
their armies in being, save Paris and es-
cape the humiliation planned by their
great foe. To meet the German ava
lanche they had little more than half as
many troops, with British supports, which
were. however, insignificant in numbers
The French were also handicapped by the
fact that their mobilization was based
upon the assumption that Germany would
come through Alsace-Lorraine and not
through neutral Belgium, and the plans
could not be changed after mobiliza
ton haG begun. Thus it was necessary fol
France to execute a complete reconcentra-
tion of her armies after the campaign had
onened. But it is necessary to recall here
that the single necessity for the French
was to survive the first avalanche. This
was Joffre's problem, as that OF vor
Noltke was to annihilate the French. Or
these terms it is possible to estimate pretty
exactly the results of this first campaign
the greatest the world had ever seen in
numbers. in the size of battlefelds and in
the losses that were suffered by all con-
testants.
The Belgian Phase (Aug. 4-22).
The first shots on the Belgian frontier
were fired on August 4. The next day
German troops reached the forts of Liege
The army was commanded by General
Won Emmich and numbered about 10000
picked troops. Despite the contemporary
impression, the Belgian resistance, while
heroic. was wholly ineffective. Liege was
occupied on August 7. For week the
Belgian commander, General Leman, held
oro ar two Of the forts west of the Mouse,
but these were destroyed by the first shots
Of the German heavy artillery on August
Il or Z