Battle of the Marne (1914)

The First Battle of the Marne, fought in September 1914, was a critical turning point in World War I, halting the German advance that gravely threatened Paris. The French government, anticipating the fall of the capital, evacuated the city, and reinforcements were famously rushed to the front lines using approximately 600 Parisian taxicabs, transporting around 6,000 troops. General Joseph Joffre's determined stand forced German forces to retreat to the Aisne River, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan—Germany's strategy for a swift victory on the Western Front. This battle condemned both sides to four years of brutal trench warfare, which resulted in over 5 million casualties by 1918. The immediate impact of the Marne was to prevent the early collapse of France and to set the stage for a prolonged and devastating conflict.