The command center of the Anglo-French coalition, situated south of the Marne, was enveloped in an atmosphere of despair. The news of heavy casualties inflicted upon the British Expeditionary Force's 1st and 3rd Armies, along with the French 1st Army, by the assaults of the German 1st and 8th Corps, had reached them. Upon receiving such disheartening reports, Marshal Joffre fell into a prolonged silence, clearly stunned by the severity of the coalition's plight.
"Your Excellency, we now have only the British 4th Army and the French 10th Army left in Paris. Together, they total a mere 400,000 men. Even if we include the 100,000 from the 1st Army, our forces merely match those of the Germans. Furthermore, both the 4th Army and our 10th Army are newly formed units, their combat efficacy is questionable. It seems nearly impossible to rely on them to withstand the German onslaught," General Foch said, his face etched with worry and despair.
The breakthrough achieved by the German 1st and 8th Corps on the left flank had dealt a potentially fatal blow to the coalition. Their very capital now lay under the threat of German advance. It was only a matter of days before the enemy would be at the gates of Paris. How could they continue to fight under such dire circumstances?
"With just those troops, holding Paris is practically unattainable. In fact, we currently lack the strength to defend the city at all. Let us not forget, we are also being pressured by the Germans. When we might be defeated remains uncertain," Marshal Joffre remarked.
General Foch was taken aback, his complexion paling further.
Indeed, it seemed that Paris was destined to fall. Following the disastrous defeat on the left flank, the Germans would soon advance directly toward the city. The coalition could hardly withstand the German offensive. Should they suffer further defeats along the Marne, they would be left with no excess forces to defend Paris. Confronted by the German assault, failure would be inevitable.
However, such an outcome was deeply unacceptable to a French soldier. After all, they fought fiercely for their country against the Germans. Was this war truly fated to end in failure?
"Marshal, if we lose Paris, shall we surrender to the Germans?" General Foch inquired.
After a moment's reflection, Joffre replied, "That is not for me to decide; it falls to the President and the government. But as a soldier, I shall fight the Germans to the bitter end!"
Foch nodded in agreement; he too was unwilling to surrender to the Germans. Of course, if the President and the government opted for capitulation, there would be little recourse.
"Marshal, the Germans have launched another massive artillery barrage against our defenses; they have deployed at least several thousand guns," reported a panic-stricken staff officer to Joffre.
Both Joffre and Foch felt a tightening in their chests. They clearly understood the Germans' intentions. Following the victories of the 1st and 8th Corps, the German forces along the Marne could no longer remain passive.
"Order all front-line units to hold the line and prepare to fight the Germans to the last breath!" Joffre commanded.
If their defenses were breached by the Germans, defeat would allow the enemy to encircle Paris. The Anglo-French forces stationed in the city would stand no chance of halting the German advance. All Joffre could do was to resolutely defend the Marne line and hold out for as long as possible. Whether a turning point would emerge remained uncertain.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
On the Marne front, the German artillery roared, unleashing a relentless barrage. Ammunition carts scurried back and forth, transporting shells from the depots to the artillery positions. Gunners, stripped to the waist, rammed shells into the cannons and fired.
Once again, the positions of the Anglo-French coalition came under fierce bombardment from the Germans. Even after previous engagements, the Germans had nearly razed the coalition's defenses to the ground. Most fortifications had been obliterated by the German artillery, leaving only a few surviving strongpoints—mere remnants that had survived by sheer luck, along with some hastily rebuilt defenses erected during the gaps between bombardments.
However, now, under the renewed onslaught, these remaining defenses crumbled once more.
As for the Anglo-French artillery, they remained silent. They had little left to spare. The previous artillery suppression had inflicted devastating losses upon them. The remaining guns were treated like treasures, too precious to be wasted. Rather than risk destruction in a direct engagement with the German artillery, they preferred to conserve their firepower for when the German infantry would attack.
The German artillery preparation was brief; within an hour, the shells began to extend into the depth of the Anglo-French positions. They understood this as a clear sign that the Germans were poised to launch an assault.
The Germans opted not to prolong their artillery preparation, partly to conserve ammunition. With the Marne battle concluding, their next focus would likely be Paris. If the French refused to surrender, a fierce battle might ensue, and the romantic city of Paris could be reduced to rubble. Thus, the Germans aimed to conserve as much ammunition as possible. On the other hand, the near-total destruction of the Anglo-French defenses rendered further bombardment wasteful.
"Attack!"
As the artillery fire began to reach its zenith, the frontline commander issued the order to advance.
This time, instead of deploying infantry directly, four armored divisions launched assaults at different points along the front.
A tide of black-painted tanks surged forth from the German positions, sweeping toward the Anglo-French lines. This wave of dark, menacing vehicles formed an unstoppable torrent of steel.
"Oh God! So many German tanks!" exclaimed a terrified French soldier.
"Damn it, how can the Germans possess so many tanks? How can we possibly withstand them?"
"Where are the anti-tank guns? Prepare for battle!" Some brave souls, undaunted by the overwhelming number of German tanks, steeled themselves to continue fighting. However, previous battles had already inflicted severe losses on their anti-tank artillery and crews. The remaining forces stood little chance of halting such a formidable armored assault.