Having been privileged to watch the war in France from beginning to end, and to live with the French armies (as Correspondent attached to General Headquarters) for more than two years, the writer has also had exceptional opportunities of studying the terrain, and of discussing the drama as a whole and in detail with officers and men from the highest to the most humble. To name all those from whom he has received aid would be impossible; to name any might seem to associate them with conclusions for which he is solely responsible; but he may record his deep gratitude to the French Government, the Headquarters Staff, and the various Army Staffs, for the rare experience of which this volume is unworthy fruit.
_German units are throughout numbered in Roman capitals_ (“the XX Corps”), _Allied in ordinary figures_ (“the 20th Corps”).
_The small figures in the text refer to “Notes and References” at the end of the volume._
II. A TRAGEDY OF ERRORS—— i. The German Plan of Campaign 10 ii. The Forces in Play 14 iii. The French War Doctrine 20 iv. The Three French Offensives 28 v. The Battle of Charleroi-Mons 34
III. JOFFRE STARTS AFRESH—— i. Ecce Homo! 46 ii. The Second New Plan 54 iii. Battle of the Gap of Charmes 61 iv. Battles of Le Cateau, Guise, and Launois 64 v. End of the Long Retreat 71
IV. THE GREAT DILEMMA, PARIS–VERDUN—— i. The Government leaves the Capital 76 ii. Kluck plunges South-Eastward 79 iii. Joffre’s Opportunity 84
V. THE ORDER OF BATTLE—— i. Gallieni’s Initiative 92 ii. General Offensive of the Allies 95 _Strength and Position of the Armies_ 97 iii. Features of the Battlefield 106 iv. The Last Summons 110
VI. BATTLE OF THE OURCQ—— i. A Premature Engagement 113 ii. The British Manœuvre 118 iii. A Race of Reinforcements 126 iv. The Paris Taxi-Cabs 129
VII. THE “EFFECT OF SUCTION”—— i. French and d’Espérey strike North 135 ii. Battle of the Marshes of St. Gond 142 iii. Defence and Recapture of Mondemont 148 iv. Foch’s Centre broken 155 v. Fable and Fact of a Bold Manœuvre 160
VIII. FROM VITRY TO VERDUN—— i. The Battle of Vitry-le-François 169 ii. Sarrail holds the Meuse Salient 175
The German Objective (p. 239); The Opposed Forces (p. 240); De Bloch’s Prophecy and French’s Confession (p. 242); Criticisms and Defence of the French Staff (p. 244); The Surprise in the North (p. 247); The Abandonment of Lille (p. 252); M. Hanotaux and the B.E.F. (p. 252); The Fall of Maubeuge (p. 256); Paris and the German Plan (p. 259); Some Books on the Battle (p. 263); General Bonnal and the British Army (p. 265); Scenes at Farthest South (p. 266); The Myth of the 42nd Division (p. 268).