twenty-three days Belgium was overrun, its capital taken, and all the
important places except Antwerp captured. After the delay in Belgium,
the main German armies advanced into France. Here they were met (August
21-23) by French and British troops; but the defenders were not yet
strong enough to stop the German advance. For twelve days they fell back
toward Paris, fighting continually, until the invaders were within
twenty miles of the city. The French government and archives were
withdrawn from Paris to Bordeaux in the southwest, so imminent seemed
the capture of the capital. The battle line now extended for one hundred
and seventy-five miles eastward from near Paris to the fortress of
Verdun.

THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE MARNE.--In the meantime the French commander,
General Joffre (zhofr), had secretly been collecting another army with
which to attack the invaders on the flank from the west. At the right
moment he hurled this army upon the German flank, while the men on the
main battle line were commanded to "face about and accept death rather
than surrender." On September 6-10 took place the first great battle of
the Marne, during which the Germans, under these new attacks, were
compelled to retreat fifty miles from their most advanced position. The
French armies had rescued Paris in the nick of time. The French
government once more returned to its capital. "France had saved herself
and Europe."

THE RACE TO THE COAST.--On reaching the river Aisne (ân) the German
armies had time to entrench themselves and thus beat off the heavy
attacks of the French and British (September 12-17). The Allied armies
in turn began to entrench opposite the German positions. But both armies
turned toward the north in a race to reach the North Sea and outflank
the enemy. The Germans were particularly anxious to reach Calais