CHAPTER VII

THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE

The German territorial gains—Bearing on peace proposals—The 61 French offensive—General moral effect—Uncertainty as to direction of German attack—Sources from which eastern armies were drawn—Their offensive—General account—In the Woevre—Verdun and Longwy—From the Moselle to Mulhouse—The frontier force—Justification of the offensive—Description of frontier—Of Alsace—Importance of the Vosges—The Sundgau—First French advance on August 7th—Altkirch retaken