1914 4th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Ordes the 6th Army to advance east from Paris & attack the German First Armys flank
First World War · permanent subject timeline
First Battle of the Marne
The September 1914 counter-offensive that halted the German advance toward Paris. This page combines historical context with 24 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database World War I battle archive.
Historical context
First Battle of the Marne: overview and significance
What happened?
The First Battle of the Marne was fought from 5 to 12 September 1914 as French and British forces counter-attacked the German armies advancing toward Paris. The German right wing withdrew toward the Aisne after a gap opened between its armies.
Why was it important?
The battle ended the prospect of a rapid German victory in the west and helped establish the continuous trench front that defined much of the Western Front. It became one of the decisive turning points of the opening campaign.
World History Database records
First Battle of the Marne timeline
The records below are selected from the 572-record World War I battles archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1914
1914 4th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Murray had an important meeting with Gallieni (Military governor of Paris) and Maunoury (commander, French 6th Army) to discuss the planned Allied counterattack which would become the First Battle of the Marne
1914 4th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Fights at the Battle of the Marne
1914 5th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Forms the 6th & 9th Armies in preparation for the German counter-attack
1914 5th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Orders the 1st & 2nd French Armies to hold the Germans around Verdun & Nancy
1914 5th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Begins when the French 6th Army & German IV Reserve Corps clash in the Meaux hills
1914 5th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Moves against the exposed flank of von Klucks First Army & halted its southward drive
1914 6th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Joins in the battle linking the BEF with the French 5th and 6th Armies
1914 6th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Stops further French retreat & orders an attack at the Marne
1914 6th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
The French 6th Army attacks German First Armys flank. A decisive German breakthrough results in a general retreat
1914 9th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
The French 5th & the BEF move between Bulow & von Kluck forcing Bulows retreat. Kluck & Bulow retreat when the British begin to cross the Marne. Forced back by Joffre, leads to the collapse of the Schlieffen Plan
1914 9th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Counter-attacks against von Bulow & forces him to retire, the German advance is halted
1914 9th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Kluck & Bulow retreat when the British begin to cross the Marne
1914 9th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Orders a retreat of 65 km to the River Aisne. Establishes a new line of defence & ends hope of a short war
1914 10th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
The British & the French fail to pursue the Germans
1914 14th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Defeats von Kluck, the German Army retreats from Paris to the Soissons-Rheims line
1914 15th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Trench warfare begins. The front is established alog the Aisne, Vesle, Argonne, Meuse hills, Moselle & Vosges
1914 15th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Trench warfare begins. The front is established alog the Aisne, Vesle, Argonne, Meuse hills, Moselle & Vosges
1914 15th September
Battle of Marne, 1st
Marwitzs cavalry protects the flank of First Army during its retreat in the wake of the First Battle of the Marne
1914 10th October
Battle of Marne, 1st
Defeated by Joffre, Germany is retreats from Paris to the Soissons-Rheims line
1914
Battle of Marne, 1st
Fights at the Battle of the Marne
1914
Battle of Marne, 1st
Carries out the Schlieffen Plan but is defeated at the Battle of the Marne
1917
1917 16th April
Battle of Marne, 1st
Plans to use 27 French Divisions but his plans are intercepted & the Allies advance 4 miles
1918
1918 15th July
Battle of Marne, 1st
Mounts a counter-offensive along the Marne
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database First World War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Imperial War Museums · Commonwealth War Graves Commission · Australian War Memorial
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