Race to the Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Race to the Sea |
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| Part of the Western Front of the First World War | |||||||
 Franco-German flanking moves, 15 September – 8 October 1914 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Belgium France United Kingdom |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Albert I Joseph Joffre John French |
Erich von Falkenhayn | ||||||
The Race to the Sea was a series of important battles during the early part of the First World War. It happened from about September 17 to October 19, 1914. This "race" wasn't really a race to the ocean itself. Instead, it was when the French, British, and German armies tried to outflank each other. This means they tried to get around the side of the enemy's army to attack them from behind.
These armies kept trying to go around each other's northern sides. They moved through areas like Picardy, Artois, and Flanders in France and Belgium. The "race" ended when the armies reached the North Sea coast in Belgium. There was no more land to go around. This led to a long line of trenches that stretched all the way to the sea.
After this, both sides tried to attack again. This led to two very costly battles: the Battle of the Yser and the First Battle of Ypres. Neither side won a clear victory. By mid-November, the fighting settled down. Both sides started preparing for new attacks in the spring of 1915.
The German commander, Erich von Falkenhayn, realized that a quick, decisive victory wasn't possible. He decided to try a new strategy. Instead of trying to totally destroy the enemy, he aimed to wear them down. This meant building strong defenses on the Western Front. This would allow Germany to send more troops to the Eastern Front.
Over the winter, the French army developed new ways to fight in trenches. They learned how to attack enemy strong points and use artillery more effectively. The Germans also started building huge networks of trenches and defenses. These defenses were not fully ready until the autumn of 1915.
Why the Armies Raced to the Sea
Early War Plans and Battles
France's Plan XVII
Before the war, France had a plan called Plan XVII. This plan said how the French army would get ready for war. France expected to gather about 2 million soldiers. They would set up their armies near the German border.
The French thought Germany might attack through Lorraine or southern Belgium. They believed Germany would not send many troops through northern Belgium. This was a big mistake.
Germany's Schlieffen Plan
Germany's main war plan was called the Schlieffen Plan. It focused on attacking France quickly. The plan aimed to avoid France's strong border forts. German armies would march through neutral Belgium. They would then attack Paris from the north.
The goal was to defeat France fast. This would allow Germany to then focus on fighting Russia. The plan was changed a bit over time. But the main idea was still to sweep through Belgium and attack France from the side.
The Battle of the Frontiers
The war started with a series of battles called the Battle of the Frontiers. These battles took place in August 1914. French and German armies clashed along their shared border and in southern Belgium.
The French tried to attack Germany in Alsace and Lorraine. But they were pushed back by the German armies. Meanwhile, German forces invaded Belgium. They captured the city of Liège and moved deeper into the country.
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived in France to help the French. They fought a delaying battle at Mons. But the German advance was very strong. The French and British armies had to retreat.
The Great Retreat
After these early battles, the French and British armies began a long retreat. This is known as the Great Retreat. They fell back across northern France. German forces followed closely behind them.
The retreat lasted from late August to early September. German troops came very close to Paris. But the Allies managed to stop their advance. This set the stage for a major turning point.
The First Battle of the Marne
The Great Retreat ended with the First Battle of the Marne. This battle took place from September 5 to 12, 1914. The French and British armies launched a counter-attack. They caught the German armies by surprise.
The battle was a huge success for the Allies. The German advance on Paris was stopped. The German armies were forced to retreat. This battle saved Paris and changed the course of the war. It showed that the war would not be over quickly.
The First Battle of the Aisne
After the Marne, the Allies chased the retreating Germans. The Germans dug in on high ground north of the Aisne river. This led to the First Battle of the Aisne. It lasted from September 13 to 28.
The Allies tried to attack the German lines. But the Germans had built strong defenses. The attacks had little success. Both sides realized that frontal attacks were very difficult. This battle showed that the war was becoming a trench war.
The Race Begins
German and French Plans
After the Battle of the Marne, the German commander, Falkenhayn, realized his plan for a quick victory had failed. He decided to try to get around the French army's northern side. He wanted to attack towards the coast.
The French commander, Joseph Joffre, also wanted to outflank the Germans. He moved French troops from the east to the western side of the front. Both armies were trying to do the same thing. This led to a series of battles as they tried to get past each other.
First Phase: The Flanking Moves
Battle of Picardy
The French Sixth Army started moving along the Oise river in mid-September. They tried to get around the German flank. But German troops were also moving to the area. The French advance was stopped.
Both sides kept sending more troops to the north. The fighting became a back-and-forth struggle. The French tried to push northwards. But the Germans also attacked, forcing the French to dig in.
Battle of Albert
The German army also tried to attack towards the coast. They aimed to get around the French northern side. But the French Second Army launched its own attack. This forced the Germans to change their plans.
The fighting moved north of the Somme river. Both sides fought hard to gain ground. The French managed to stop the German advance. They held a line from Maricourt to Thiepval. More troops were sent to the area, forming a new French Tenth Army.
Second Phase: Fighting for Arras
First Battle of Arras
By October, the fighting was centered around the city of Arras. The French had many troops in this area. They tried to attack the Germans. But the Germans also launched their own attacks.
The Germans tried to push the French back from Arras. They wanted to get around the city to the north. But the French defended strongly. The fighting was very costly for both sides. The Germans captured some towns but could not break through.
The front line became stable around Arras. Both sides had dug in. This meant that the "race" had to continue further north.
Third Phase: Reaching the Coast
Battle of La Bassée
The German Sixth Army captured Lille before the British could secure it. The fighting then moved towards La Bassée. German and British forces clashed here.
The British II Corps arrived and tried to advance. They faced strong German resistance. The Germans used cavalry and infantry to slow them down. The British managed some small advances. But they faced strong German defenses at every turn.
The fighting continued for several weeks. Both sides suffered many losses. Eventually, the battle ended as both armies focused on the fighting further north at Ypres.
Battle of Messines
Further north, British cavalry and infantry moved towards Messines. They met German forces dug in on hills. The British cavalry tried to advance. But they faced strong German defenses.
The fighting was difficult due to fog and bad weather. The land was also full of streams and ditches. This made it hard for the cavalry to move. The British made little progress against the strong German lines.
Battle of Armentières
The British III Corps arrived near Armentières. They tried to advance towards the city. They faced German cavalry and infantry. The British captured some towns. But they met very strong German defenses.
The Germans had dug in well. They used houses and hedges as strong points. This made it hard for the British to advance. The fighting was very tough. The British eventually secured crossings over the Lys river. They occupied Armentières.
The "Race to the Sea" ended when the armies reached the North Sea coast. There was no more open land to outflank each other. The front line now stretched from the Swiss border all the way to the sea.
After the Race
Heavy Losses
The battles of the "Race to the Sea" were very costly. Many soldiers were killed or wounded. By the end of the battles at Ypres, Germany had lost about 800,000 soldiers. This included 116,000 who died.
The French army lost about 454,000 soldiers by the end of 1914. The British also suffered many casualties. About 50 percent of the Belgian army became casualties. These numbers show how intense and deadly the fighting was.
The First Battle of Flanders
Battle of the Yser
After the "Race to the Sea," the Belgian army retreated to the Yser river. This river runs through west Flanders. The Germans created a new army to try and capture Dunkirk and Calais. They wanted to deliver a "crushing blow."
The Battle of the Yser took place from October 18 to November 30, 1914. The Belgians held a defensive line along the river. French and British troops also helped. German attacks were very strong.
To stop the Germans, the Belgians opened sluice gates on the coast. This flooded the area between the Yser river and a railway embankment. The water created a barrier. This stopped the German advance and turned the area into a muddy swamp.
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres began on October 19. It was part of the larger First Battle of Flanders. German armies attacked the British and French forces near Ypres.
The fighting was very fierce. Both sides attacked and counter-attacked. The Germans brought in many new divisions and heavy guns. They tried to break through the Allied lines.
The British forces were almost exhausted. French troops were sent to help them. German attacks slowly began to decrease by early November. The battle was a brutal struggle. It showed that the war would be a long and difficult one, fought from trenches.
