They constitute an eloquent and convincing document.
The series of orders were contained in the "Bulletin des Armees
de la Republique Francaise," June 6, 1915, Sunday. The first of
these orders, dated August 25, 1914, runs as follows:
"The projected offensive movement not having been found possible
of execution, the consequent operations will be so conducted as
to put in line, on our left, by the junction of the Fourth and
Fifth Armies, the British army, and new forces recruited from the
eastern district, a body capable of taking the offensive while
other armies for the needed interval hold in check the efforts of
the enemy...."
The retreating movement was regulated so as to bring about the following
disposition of forces preparatory to an offensive:
"In the Amiens district a new grouping of forces, formed of elements
conveyed by rail (Seventh Corps, four divisions of reserve, and
perhaps another active army corps), brought together from August
27 to September 2, 1914. This body will remain ready to take the
offensive in the general direction of St. Pol-Arras or Arras-Bapaume."
The same general instructions of August 25, 1914, marks out the
zones of march, and says:
"The movement will be covered by the rear guards spread out at
favorable points of vantage so as to utilize every obstacle for
the purpose of checking, by brief and violent counterattacks in
which the artillery will play the chief part, the march of the
enemy or at least to retard it.
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