Synopsis

The opening months of the conflict along the Western Front unfolded with a startling fluidity—a rapid, perilous dance across the landscape. Casualties mounted at a fearsome pace, exceeding those seen in the static trench warfare that would soon define the struggle. The German advance was checked by Allied forces at the Battle of the Marne, forcing them to retreat to more defensible terrain where they began to entrench themselves. In response, the Allies mirrored this tactic, preparing for what l