As time passed steadily, only five minutes remained until eight o'clock in the morning.
"When will the air force arrive on the battlefield?" QinTian inquired.
"Your Highness, each of the four air fleets has dispatched one fighter squadron and one bomber squadron, and the planes have already taken off. Calculating the time, they should be nearing the battlefield, arriving within a few minutes at most," reported Major General Manstein.
To minimize casualties during the crossing of the Marne River and ensure a successful breach of the Anglo-French lines, the German forces had meticulously planned the operation. Not only had they prepared ample firepower, but they also coordinated for the air support to arrive in a timely manner during the crossing. This would undoubtedly reduce troop losses significantly.
QinTian nodded, "We have made all necessary preparations. Now it is up to the valiant warriors. May God bless us!"
"Your Highness, we will surely prevail this time," Major General Manstein replied with unwavering confidence.
At precisely eight o'clock, German artillery began to extend its fire into the depths of the Anglo-French positions. Meanwhile, along the front lines, mortars, grenade launchers, and machine guns were set up, ready to unleash their fury. A multitude of German soldiers, carrying the small boats that had been meticulously prepared, surged towards the Marne River.
Although the Marne was not wide and the water not deep, wading across directly was exceedingly difficult. Thus, the German engineers had prepared a large number of small boats over the past two months for the troops to use in the initial crossing.
On the opposite bank, the Anglo-French forces became aware of the change in German artillery fire.
"Quickly, man the positions; the Germans are launching their attack!" the officers of the Anglo-French forces shouted hoarsely.
A swarm of Anglo-French soldiers scrambled from their bunkers into the trenches, ready to resist the German onslaught. Meanwhile, soldiers stationed further back moved through the trenches to the front lines. However, they first had to navigate the deadly barrage of German artillery. Many Anglo-French soldiers would surely perish under the relentless fire before they could reach the front lines.
"Your Excellency, the Germans have begun their attack," a commander reported to Marshal Joffre.
"May God bless the French Republic; let us hope we can withstand the German advance!" Marshal Joffre closed his eyes in prayer.
On the front line of the Marne, the German central group's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th armies launched an offensive along a defense line stretching over a hundred kilometers, targeting the Anglo-French positions. In the initial wave of the assault, the Germans chose six landing points and committed as many as 150,000 troops to the attack, not including the units providing fire support from the rear.
"Fire!"
With the command from the front-line commander, a ferocious barrage erupted from the German defenses. Heavy and light machine guns, mortars, and grenade launchers opened fire in a frenzy on the Anglo-French positions across the river.
The relentless rain of artillery shells pounded the Anglo-French defenses, with many shells landing directly in the trenches, inflicting devastating losses on the hastily assembled defenders.
The withering machine gun fire left the Anglo-French soldiers unable to raise their heads, forcing them to huddle in their trenches like turtles retreating into their shells, ignoring the officers' shouts of reproach. After all, the still-warm bodies of those who had already fallen served as the starkest warning.
"Cowards! You spineless wretches, lift your heads and fire! Otherwise, the Germans will cross the Marne, and you will all be doomed!" a French lieutenant shouted vehemently.
But his voice was abruptly silenced as a stray bullet struck his head, shattering it like a watermelon.
On the northern bank of the Marne, many German soldiers were already rushing down to the river, carrying wooden boats. These towering German soldiers could easily lift a small boat between two of them. Once the boats were placed on the water, the soldiers jumped aboard and vigorously paddled towards the opposite bank. The Marne was only a few dozen meters wide, and the current was not swift; absent interference, they could cross in under a minute.
Despite the fierce barrage from the Germans, numerous Anglo-French soldiers continued to resist. Particularly those points of fire that had not been destroyed by the German bombardment began to retaliate vigorously.
"Rat-tat-tat!"
The French Hotchkiss machine guns and British Bren guns opened fire from their positions, unleashing a hail of bullets that splashed against the river surface.
The small wooden boats offered little protection; a hit to their wooden hulls could easily spell disaster. Many German soldiers were struck by Anglo-French bullets, crying out as they fell into the Marne. Their bodies floated downstream, eventually reaching the Seine and Paris, with blood staining the waters of the Marne.
"Fire! Take out the French positions!" a German officer commanded.
A 120mm heavy mortar aimed at a French bunker across the river.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two shells soared through the air; one missed but exploded in a trench, killing numerous French soldiers. The other struck the French bunker directly, obliterating it.
As the German soldiers crossed the river, they were undeniably at their most vulnerable. Faced with the fierce Anglo-French fire, they could only endure in silence, relying on the support fire from the rear to suppress the enemy and provide them protection.
"Order the artillery to fire immediately!"
General de Cassagnac of the French 2nd Army barked, his expression grim.
The German firepower was overwhelmingly potent, far surpassing their expectations. Their defenses were completely subdued under the German bombardment. If they did not act quickly, the Germans would soon be across the Marne, making it even more challenging to force them back into the water.
Although the battle had only just begun, to fortify their lines, General de Cassagnac was compelled to deploy the artillery that had previously been concealed.
Other Anglo-French army groups had similarly issued such orders. The German assault had placed immense pressure on them.