The Battle of Marne
September 5, 1914 - September 12, 1914
The Second battle of Marne
July 15, 1918 - August 6, 1918
Facts
- The Allied French won The Battle of Marne against the German's.
- Both battles of the Marne were fought about 30 miles northeast of Paris on the Marne River.
- The French had 81,700 deaths out of the total 263,000 troops involved in the battle.
- The Germans recorded a number of 256,000 injuries but have never fully disclosed the number of deaths that took place during the battle.
Battle Summary
The battle of Marne began when Michel-Joseph Maunoury, general of the French 6th army, called for an attack on Germany's first army. At this time, the German forces were making their way into Paris and were drawing closer with every day that passed. Both of the battles of Marne were short but had a high impact on the overall outcome of world war one. The battle of Marne is said to be one of the most influential battles of WW1 because of the impact it had. Germany was making their way into Paris ready to attack and take over the capital of France. The French, however, had expected the attack a few days earlier and were able to make plans and prepare for the attack. This became a major turning point in the war and the allied French were able to regain their lead in the war. The second battle was just as hurtful on the countries but also just as effective. During the second battle of the Marne France, the US, the UK, and Italy joined together to counterattack the German forces. This lead to the Germans being overwhelmed and them ultimately losing the battle and losing hundreds of thousands of troops in the battle as well. Without the Battle of the Marne the end results of world war one could have been drastically different.
Generals in charge during the Battle of Marne
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Joffre was a French general that became known as a national hero after being the first French general to defeat a German army in over a century. He lead the first battle of Marne and won.
Michel-Joseph Maunoury
Michel-Joseph Maunoury was the French sixth army general. Maunoury's sixth army is responsible for opening a gap between Germany's first and second armies.
Alexander Von Kluck
Alexander Von Kluck was the general in charge of of the first German army and lead the German offensive against Paris at the begging of the war.
Other important leaders present during the Battle of Marne
Joseph-Simon Gallieni
Gallieni was assigned the position as military governor in Paris. He urged Joseph Joffre to allow him an army knowing that the German's would try to attack the capital of France.
Louis Franchet d'Esperey
A general appointed to the fifth French army by Joseph Joffre. He is credited with replacing the fifth armies previous general Charles Lanrezac and leading the attack on the second German army.
Charles Lanrezac
Lanrezac led the fifth French army before and is considered to be one of the French's best pre-war strategist.
Interesting Anecdote
Technology used during the battle
French 75mm Field gun
An example of a gun used by the allies during the battles of Marne.
French Aircraft
Aircraft was utilized during the war by the French.
German Uhlans advancing
German Uhlans are cavalry that were armed with lances, sabers, and pistols to be used in battles.
Map of the Battle of Marne September 6th - 9th, 1914
Tour Information
During this tour, you will be able to experience the different areas and trenches that were used in the battle of Marne. The tours are limited to 18 person groups to ensure the comfortable transportation and personal attention from your tour guide. You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the city of Aisne to begin the all day tour.
Places to Stay and Things to do
With the battle of Marne only taking place 30 miles outside of Paris it is easy to find places to stay and things to do while not experiencing the battle itself. A few popular things to explore while in Paris would include visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is easily one of the most recognisable tour sites in the world and it open to the public to visit. The Eiffel Tower is named after the architecture who designed the tower, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
Tour hours include:
Winter Hours: 9:00am - 11:00pm
Summer Hours: 9:00am - 12:00am
The Louvre
The Louvre is a landmark of Paris and is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world mainly known for having the Mona Lisa.
Tour hours will vary.
Notre Dame Cathedral
The cathedral is a historic Catholic cathedral that is one of the world's most widely known churches open to the public to tour. Tour hours include:
Summer Times: 7:00am - 9:00pm
Winter Times: 7:30am - 7:30pm