First Battle of the Aisne
Part of World War I
Map of the Western Front and the Race to the Sea movement, 1914.
Date: 13 September –28 September 1914 Location: Aisne River,France Result: Draw, Allies gained some ground
Combatants
Britain, France	Germany
Commanders
Sir John French, Louis Franchet d'Esperey, Michel-Joseph Maunoury, Joseph Joffre	Alexander von Kluck, Karl von Bülow, Josias von Heeringen
Strength
Two French armies and the BEF	Three German armies
Casualties
Unknown	Unknown

The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German 1st Army (led by Alexander von Kluck) & 2nd Army (led by Karl von Bülow) as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September of 1914. The offensive began on the evening of 13 September, after a hasty pursuit of the Germans. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x900, 71 KB)Map showing the course of the Race to the Sea during 1914 following the Battle of the Aisne. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Aisne is a river in France, tributary of the river Oise. ... John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres (September 28, 1852–May 22, 1925) was a British soldier and Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Lord French of Ypres Born in Ripple Vale, Kent. ... Louis Félix Marie François Franchet dEspèrey ( 25 May 1856 – 3 July 1942) was a French general during the First World War. ... General Michel-Joseph Maunoury (1847-1923) was a commander of French forces in the early days of World War I. He was recalled from retirement at the age of 67 in August 1914 to lead the so-called Army of Lorraine. But his place in history would be made in... Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (January 12, 1852 - January 3, 1931) was a Catalan French general who became prominent in the battles of World War I. Joffre was born in Rivesaltes, Roussillon. ... Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck (May 20, 1846 - October 19, 1934) was a German general during World War I. He was born in Münster, Westphalia. ... Karl von Bülow (April 24, 1846 – August 31, 1921) was a German General commanding the German 2nd Army during World War I from 1914 to 1918. ... Josias von Heeringen (1850–1926) was a German general of the imperial era who saw service in the First World War. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Boer War in case Britain ever needed to... The Great Retreat covers the slow retreat by the Allies to the River Marne after their defeat by the Germans at Battle of Mons on 23 August. ... The Siege of Maubeuge took place between August 24 and September 7, 1914 when the French garrison of the Maubeuge Fortress finally surrendered to the Germans at the start of World War I on the Western Front. ... On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ... There have been a number of battles known as the Battle of St. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000 including; 80,000 French dead 1,701 British dead Approximately 250,000 total The First Battle of the Marne was... Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck (May 20, 1846 - October 19, 1934) was a German general during World War I. He was born in Münster, Westphalia. ... Karl von Bülow (April 24, 1846 – August 31, 1921) was a German General commanding the German 2nd Army during World War I from 1914 to 1918. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000 including; 80,000 French dead 1,701 British dead Approximately 250,000 total The First Battle of the Marne was... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ...

Though tired, the Allies realised on 11 September the Germans planned to stop retreating at the Aisne river. September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ...

When the two German armies arrived at the Aisne, they were reinforced by the 7th army (led by Josias von Heeringen), and commenced setting up defensive positions in trenches along the Aisne's northern banks, with their main defences based on the Chemin des Dames ridge. Josias von Heeringen (1850–1926) was a German general of the imperial era who saw service in the First World War. ... The Chemin des Dames, literally, the Ladies Way, was a pleasure walk along a ridge offering views across the Aisne and the surrounding landscape, and designated by the French king, Louis XV for the amusement of his daughters. ...

Upon their arrival on 13 September, the French 5th (led by Louis Franchet d'Esperey) & 6th (led by Michel-Joseph Maunoury) armies, aided by the BEF (led by Sir John French), launched an assault. September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Louis Félix Marie François Franchet dEspèrey ( 25 May 1856 – 3 July 1942) was a French general during the First World War. ... General Michel-Joseph Maunoury (1847-1923) was a commander of French forces in the early days of World War I. He was recalled from retirement at the age of 67 in August 1914 to lead the so-called Army of Lorraine. But his place in history would be made in... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Boer War in case Britain ever needed to... John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres (September 28, 1852–May 22, 1925) was a British soldier and Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Lord French of Ypres Born in Ripple Vale, Kent. ...

On the 14th, the Allies continued to assault the Germans on Chemin des Dames ridge above them, but German counter-attacks drove them back. German machine guns and heavy artillery effectively kept the Allies at bay. A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

Pushed back further by the Allies on the 18th, fighting was then abandoned on the 28th. It finally became clear to both sides, that neither would be able to mount an effective frontal assault on their enemy's trenches. Besides, the French were also under severe pressure at Reims. Instead, both forces attempted to manoeuvre past the other in the "Race to the Sea" movement, started by French commander in Chief, Joseph Joffre, who moved his forces to the north and west so as to attack the exposed German right flank at Noyon ( resulting in the First Battle of Albert). A trench is a long narrow ditch. ... Location within France Reims (English traditionally Rheims) (pronounced in French) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. ... Course of the Race to the Sea showing dates of encounters and highlighting the significant battles. ... Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (January 12, 1852 - January 3, 1931) was a Catalan French general who became prominent in the battles of World War I. Joffre was born in Rivesaltes, Roussillon. ... Noyon is a small but historic French city in the Oise département, Picardie, on the Oise Canal, approximately 60 miles north of Paris. ...

There were two later battles on the Aisne: Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ...

• The Second Battle of the Aisne (April-May 1917).
• The Third Battle of the Aisne (May-June 1918).