In the Battle of Tennanberg, which preceded the Battle of the Marne, the German Eighth Army in East Prussia had annihilated the Russian Second Army, and the commander-in-chief of the army, Alexander Samsonov, claimed that he had failed the Tsar and shot himself in a wood.

The consequences of the defeat at the Battle of Tanenenberg were devastating, and in the ensuing Battle of Lake Masurrey, the First Army was forced to withdraw from East Prussia with heavy losses, and from this time until the end of the world war, Russia never organized an effective offensive against Germany.

There were many factors in the fiasco of the Russian army, the most fatal of which was the inadequate mobilization of Russia, Count Schlieffen estimated in 1905 that it would take Russia six weeks to complete the general mobilization, and as a result, Russia mobilized 800,000 troops in six days.

Of these 800,000 troops, 300,000 had no military training before the war.

There was also a big gap between the commanders of the German and Russian armies at the Battle of Tennanberg, with the Eighth Army having a group of outstanding generals, and Ludendorff once again shone as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Army in the Battle of Tennanberg.

Unlike the enterprising German commanders, the commanders of the Russian First and Second Armies were very old, and the commander-in-chief of the Front, Zhilinsky, was neither able to inspire confidence and rarely appeared on the front line, but also had contradictions between the two army commanders, both of whom had been commanders of the Russo-Japanese War, had contradictions during the Russo-Japanese War, and were unwilling to cooperate with each other in the Battle of Tennanberg.

In any case, now the pressure is back on the side of the Anglo-French coalition, where the Entente once had high hopes for Russia, now all extravagant hopes have disappeared, and the Anglo-French forces are going to fight alone.

In September, the situation deteriorated further, and the French army was unable to organize an effective counterattack, and continued to retreat in the footsteps of the British expeditionary force.

The Germans pursued at the end of the ranks, and the soldiers carried 30 kilograms of equipment and supplies on their backs to advance 40 kilometers a day, and began to march forcibly for four days from September 1.

Everyone was exhausted, the French sun was blazing in September, the weather was unbearable, the soldiers could only rest for four hours a day, and most of the remaining twenty hours were spent on the march, many times sleeping while walking, and if a French unit launched a counterattack, the German army would be completely defeated.

Xia Fei did not organize an effective counteroffensive, the distance between the French troops and the German troops was actually only ten kilometers, both sides were exhausted, and on the verge of collapse, Xia Fei needed a new force to stop the German advance, to buy more time to adjust the defensive line.

The man who saw the opportunity was the commander of the Sixth Army, General Gallieni, who was responsible for the defense of Paris and could not attack, and Galileni hoped that Xia Fei would organize a counterattack.

Xia Fei did not agree with Gallieni's counteroffensive plan, believing that it was too risky to counterattack at this time, and that the French army should retreat in an organized manner, wait for more reinforcements, and then stabilize the battle line, and then organize a counterattack against the German army.

Gallieni believed that the opportunity was imminent, and the First Army, located on the far right flank of the German army, was getting farther and farther away from the Second Army in pursuit of the French Fifth Army commanded by Ronquezak, and the formation had been stretched to 80 kilometers, at this time, if a force was inserted between the German First Army and the Second Army, the connection between the First Army and the German right flank could be completely severed, and if the First Army could be encircled, then the French army would win the greatest victory since the beginning of the war.

By September 5, the First Army was only fifteen kilometers from Paris, the Eiffel Tower was close at hand, the distance between the First Army and the Second Army was more than 30 kilometers, and the Sixth Army under the command of Gallieni and the German front-line troops had begun to exchange fire, and Xiafei finally agreed to Gallieni's counteroffensive plan.

Not right either, just agreed to the counteroffensive, and did not agree with the plans of the Gallieni.

Xiafei ordered the Sixth Army to launch a counterattack against the Germans from the south of the Marne, while Gallieni hoped that a counterattack would begin from the north of the Marne, and that a counterattack from the south would weaken the counterattack.

Xia Fei did not agree with Gallieni's plan, and later found out that Gallerieni was the one who fought for it, so Xia Fei dismissed Gallieni.

No matter how the French mythologized Xiafei, Xiafei's stubbornness had a great impact on the French troops.

Xia Fei has a habit that no matter how tense the situation is, Xia Fei has to rest at nine o'clock every night and get up at five in the morning, and during Xia Fei's rest, even if Paris falls, Xia Fei's adjutant cannot wake him up.

Interpreted with a kind attitude, the strict schedule shows that Xia Fei is a person with strong self-control, on the other hand, it also proves that Xia Fei is extremely stubborn, Gallieni, who has just been dismissed by Xia Fei, is three years older than Xia Fei, in 1896, Galier served as the French commander-in-chief in Madagascar, Xia Fei was Gallieni's subordinate.

In 1911, French War Minister Messimi wanted Gallieni to be the commander-in-chief of the French army, but Gallieni recommended him to Messimi because of his advanced age.

After the outbreak of the World War, the French army was victorious on the front line, and Xia Fei was widely questioned, and people began to discuss contacting Xia Fei's commander-in-chief, and it was Gallerien who came forward and called for Xia Fei to be given enough time, hoping that people would be patient.

In this way, it seems that Gallieni has the grace of knowing Xiafei, even if Galileni does not agree with Xiafei's battle plan, Xiafei should not dismiss Gallieni, not to mention that Gallieni's opinion is correct.

Unfortunately, just when Gallieni found an opportunity to attack, Xia Fei dismissed Gallieni, which really makes it difficult to understand why Xia Fei did this.

"Our sluggish general is finally ready for a counteroffensive, poor General Gallieni has been infuriantly betrayed, and the French command wants us to take the initiative and cut off the connection between the First and Second Armies, what should we do?" From Frenzi's name for Xia Fei, it is not difficult to find that Frenzi is dissatisfied with Xia Fei.

"My reinforcements have not yet arrived, and it is impossible to launch an offensive against the superior German forces now." The commander of the First Army, Smith Dolin, was indifferent, and the commander of the French Fifth Army was none other than Langlezak, who had abandoned the British Expeditionary Force and retreated on his own initiative in Mons.

Although Chauffy insisted that the French forces had a planned, rhythmic and strategic retreat, in reality Langlezak's forces were in the process of collapse, and the British Expeditionary Force would take the initiative to save the Fifth Army.

Before Frenzy set out, he was ordered to preserve his strength, so Frenzi carefully protected his "poor little army", and it was impossible to take the initiative to attack.

"The Second Army can be dispatched—" Haig took the initiative to ask for battle, Dorin's First Army suffered heavy losses, and the Second Army had not yet entered the battle.

"Are you willing to let your soldiers pay for the stupid French?" Frenzi categorically disagreed.

"We still have a force—" Haig finally remembered the 105th Division, which had also suffered heavy losses.

"There are only 10,000 people left in the 105th Division, and they simply cannot complete the task." Frenzi also disagreed, and the colonial servant army was also a British army unit and was the property of the British government.

Haig stopped talking, and the stubborn Frenzi was equally unable to communicate.

"Sir, Your Excellency the Minister has boarded the train and will arrive at Delox at a later date." Frenzi's adjutant hurriedly came to report.

"It is he who preserves his strength, and he is the one who takes the initiative, to what extent do we have to satisfy the Ministry of War, it is better to let His Excellency the Minister serve as the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force." Frenzi was furious, and yesterday Kitchener sent a telegram to Frenzi, demanding that Frenzi obey Xia Fei's orders.

This is this moment and that time, although before Frenzi's departure, Kitchener told Francie to preserve his strength, but at that time Kitchener did not expect that Germany's attack would be so fierce, France would fight so badly, and now the Russian Second Army in the direction of East Prussia has all been annihilated, and the First Army is in danger.

"Sir, the French government has announced that it will go to Bordeaux—" A staff officer hurried to report, and this time Frenzi, Dorin and Haig's expressions became serious.

During the Franco-Prussian War, the German army also surrounded Paris, but did not invade Paris, and now that the French government has moved its capital, it means that the French government is ready to lose Paris.

"It looks like we have to go back to the battlefield, and the British Empire cannot afford the cost of France's defeat." Smith Dorin was the first to react.

"The troops are waiting for your orders, Mr. Commander." Haig asked for battle again.

Frenzi didn't speak, and sat in his chair for a long time.

Before dark, Kitchener came to Dreek, dressed in his marshal's uniform.

Frenzi's face was ugly, he thought that he, the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, was the representative of the British government and the British king, and that Kitchener came to Frenzi in a marshal's uniform, which was tantamount to an insult to Frenzi, and Frenzi thought that Kitchener should come in civilian clothes.

God can prove that Kitchener really did not mean this, he had just been summoned by the king before he came, and then he got on a ship and came to France, and he did not even have time to go home and change his clothes.

Coming to the headquarters, Kitchener kicked everyone out of the door except for Frenzi and communicated with Frenzi alone.

"John, you have to give up your prejudice against the French generals, now it is the most critical moment, the Russian army has suffered a crushing defeat in East Prussia, Austria-Hungary is fighting with Russia and Serbia, cooperate with the French troops to withstand the German attack, we cannot lose the support of France." Kitchener also did not expect that in just one month, Kitchener would be forced to break his word.

"I don't have more troops, and now I can't complete the task of dividing the First Army and the Second Army." Frenzi's face was gloomy, the British Expeditionary Force had only participated in a few battles, and now with the addition of the 105th Division, there were less than 100,000 troops that could fight.

"General Martin of Southern Africa has arrived in Marseille with two divisions, and they will be in Paris tomorrow." That's good news, but it's not enough.

"The two divisions in southern Africa are only 30,000 people, how can they withstand the flanking attack of 400,000 German troops?" Frenzi was extremely disappointed, 400,000 was only the First Army and the Second Army, and on the line from Paris to Versailles, the total strength of the German army was 900,000.

The gap between the German First Army and the Second Army was like a huge bottomless pit, and even if the British Expeditionary Force was filled in, Frenzi felt that it was not enough for the German army to stuff their teeth.