Though the fighting in the center had been stationary on this sixth
of September, 1914, it had been desperate. D'Esperey was facing
the 150,000 men of Von Kluck's army, and the effect of the British
attack on Von Kluck's flank had not yet been felt. He more than
held his own, but at great cost. General Foch, with the Ninth Army,
had a double problem, for he was wrestling with General von Buelow
to hold the southern edge of the Sezanne Plateau, while General von
Hausen's Saxon Army was trying to turn his right flank. A violent
attack, which, for the space of over two hours seemed likely to
succeed, was launched by the Duke of Wuerttemberg against General
Langle and the Fourth Army. The attack was repelled, but the French
losses were proportionately great. There could be no denial that
many such attacks could break through the line. General Sarrail's
army, fighting a losing game, showed marvelous stubbornness and
gameness, but even so, it could not resist being pushed south of
Fort Troyon, itself unable to support the battering it might expect
to receive when the German siege guns should be brought into place.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE MARNE--END OF GERMAN RETREAT AND THE
INTRENCHED LINE ON THE AISNE RIVER]
At every point but one the Germans had a right to deem the day
successful. The only reversal had been a minor one before the forest
of Crecy. Yet, of all the generals on that front Von Kluck alone
was in a position to see the gravity of the situation.
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