596. The First World War: The Miracle on the Marne (Part 3)

August 31, 2025

Description

What extraordinary events saw the French - already on the brink of defeat - take on the formerly formidable German army in a remarkable counter-offensive on the 4th of September, in France, in a...
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Books Referenced

Catastrophe: Europe Goes to War 1914

Author: Max Hastings

Context:

Quoted extensively throughout the episode for details about the Battle of the Marne, including Max Hastings' observation that if Joffre had died on September 1st he would be remembered only as 'a bungler and a butcher,' and his description of Joffre's transformation from 'abattoir superintendent to allied saviour.'

The Taxis of the Marne

Author: Jean Dutour

Context:

Mentioned as the book that turbocharged the legend of the taxis of the Marne in the 1950s, in which Dutour claimed the taxi episode was 'the single greatest event of the 20th century.'