battle of the Aisne

Aisne, battle of the (1914). This marked the end of the brief pursuit following German defeat on the Marne, high water mark of their advance into France in 1914. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), placed between the French Fifth and Sixth Armies on the Allied left, endeavoured to force its way across the Aisne, from south to north, on 13 September. That day set the pattern for what was to follow. The Germans, dug in on spurs overlooking the river, enjoyed artillery superiority, and the British infantry, attacking repeatedly with a bravery worthy of more realistic plans, made little headway. The seizure of crossings was in itself a remarkable feat, but it soon became evident that both terrain and balance of forces made it impossible to dislodge the Germans. On 15 September French, C-in-C of the BEF, recognized that ‘it is no longer a question of pursuit, but of a methodical attack, using every means at our disposal and consolidating each position in turn as it is gained’.

Although French hoped to continue the advance when circumstances permitted, it was clear that the BEF lacked the strength to break the German position. The fighting settled down into trench warfare, with the Germans now on the attack, but unable to dislodge the BEF. The weather was appalling, and German artillery made life unpleasant for the British. Meanwhile, both belligerents began to shift troops to the north-west (the ‘Race to the Sea’) in the hope of turning the enemy flank. French informed Joffre, the French C-in-C, that a move to the north-west flank would shorten the BEF's line of communications and in early October the BEF left the Aisne for Flanders.

Bibliography

• Brown, Malcolm, The Imperial War Museum Book of the Western Front (London, 1993).
• Edmonds, Sir James, Military Operations, France and Belgium 1914, vol. 1 (London, 1933)

— Richard Holmes