General von Schlieffen bicycled through the Belgium countryside reconnoitering the grounds of the war he knew would come.
Years later, in 1914, the Germans came back, this time with more than bicycles. General von Kluck burst through Belgium and swept through northern France toward the encirclement of Paris. His forces defeated the British at Mons, then Le Cateau. The path to Paris was freed.
Then von Kluck changed his mind. Ignoring the von Schlieffen dictum to "keep the right strong" he allowed his right flank to drift east, in pursuit of the French army as they retreated in confusion down the Marne. Von Kluck thought he could finish them.
In Paris to the west, the French garrison was led by the aging General Gallieni. When he saw the Germans ignore Paris and slide east and south down the Marne he said, famously, "Gentlemen, they offer us their flank."
The French attacked. Using thousands of taxicabs, they moved their troops from Paris to the Marne Valley and caught von Kluck at his flank, unprepared. The Battle of the Marne stopped the German army cold, turned them and eventually cost the Germans the war.
Years later, in 1914, the Germans came back, this time with more than bicycles. General von Kluck burst through Belgium and swept through northern France toward the encirclement of Paris. His forces defeated the British at Mons, then Le Cateau. The path to Paris was freed.
Then von Kluck changed his mind. Ignoring the von Schlieffen dictum to "keep the right strong" he allowed his right flank to drift east, in pursuit of the French army as they retreated in confusion down the Marne. Von Kluck thought he could finish them.
In Paris to the west, the French garrison was led by the aging General Gallieni. When he saw the Germans ignore Paris and slide east and south down the Marne he said, famously, "Gentlemen, they offer us their flank."
The French attacked. Using thousands of taxicabs, they moved their troops from Paris to the Marne Valley and caught von Kluck at his flank, unprepared. The Battle of the Marne stopped the German army cold, turned them and eventually cost the Germans the war.
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