The Audacious War

ar-Paris offered i

h Army-The Joffre Stra

est people in art in the world. Nothing in sculpture or painting in the outside world yet rivals the skill of France. Politically the French are trusting children, vibrating b

y confronted France five months ago, there was the s

itors and grafters are in jail. The weaklings in the official line have be

ocked when they learned that the boasted military defences of Paris, "the most extensive fortifications in the world," embracing

rance. General Joffre had no men to spare to be bottled up in the c

lief of Belgium, why Paris was undefended, and what saved it after Von Kluck had led seve

A brief one would be: French mobilization plans were imperfect, and, therefore, Belgium could not be defended b

ound faulty in case of sudden hostilities. The railways moved perishable goods at the rate of thirty m

ance had no bureaucracy or military plans to match those of Germany, and, as throughout French history, the leaders of the people failed at the crucial moment. The plodding English had to help out the French railway plans, and then had to turn around and find

t would not be useful to print much that is already known. There are two political se

a modern transportation service, and the supply organization to back up an effective army at the front. Transportation and war-supplies are on such an expanded basis as was not dreamed of a few years ago. The war p

men. Paris industry, trade, and commerce could shut down in a day, but there was no organization that could make in a day or a week the men of France into an army at the front. Her 600,000 regular troops were, of course, al

e. King Albert declined, saying there had been no invasion of Belgium by Germany, and that Belgian neutrality was guaranteed by treaty. Within two days the German guns were firing on Belgium; but when King Albert then called upon France for protection,

chest provinces were invaded by the Germans and a

ns expand far from their base while the French concentrated between the German border a

his fiercest attacks were at one o'clock-is considered a masterpiece of military pre

ince moved from Luxemburg straight to Paris. This was theatrical, dramatic, and Kaiserlike; but the F

right flank of Von Kluck in the retreat from river to river, from hill to hill, although pounded by 350,000 trained German troops massed on this flank. This retreat put the stamp of English bravery and dogged determinati

summoned the "architect" of the city to the American embassy and, with tears s

another foot; you die here or the enemy goes back!" He had chosen the psychological moment. The French and Englis

o heavily. Von Kluck had been drawn too far into France with no support on his left from the army of the Crown Prince, which the French had held at bay but with a tremend

mans out in front; and when an advance by the seacoast was attempted, the English naval guns spilled havoc into the German battalions. Four nationalities grappled in a death-struggle, but the wall of the Allies held from Switzerland to the sea. The Allies worked most harmonious

she had the fundamental military organiz