Paris was not ready for a siege, and if attacked it would speedily
fall.
Early in the morning of September 3, 1914, President Poincare,
accompanied by all the ministers, left Paris, and was followed
at noon by the members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, and
the reserves of the Banque de France. The higher courts were also
transferred to Bordeaux. The municipal authority was constituted
by the president of the City Council, and the Council of the Seine
Department, who were empowered to direct civil affairs under the
authority of General Gallieni as military governor, the prefect
of Paris, and the prefect of police.
On his appointment to the command, Gallieni did what he could to
strengthen the defenses. Trenches were dug, wire entanglements
were constructed; and hundreds of buildings that had been allowed
to spring up over the military zone of defense were demolished in
order to leave a clear field of fire. The gates of the city were
barred with heavy palisades backed by sandbags, and neighboring
streets also were barricaded for fighting. Certain strategic streets
were obstructed by networks of barbed wire, and in others pits
were dug to the depth of a man's shoulders. The public buildings
were barricaded with sandbags and guarded with machine guns.
But while Paris was preparing for siege and assault the French
staff were concentrating their efforts on making a siege impossible
by a decisive stroke against the German advance.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122