THE MARNE--BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1914]

The scene of the battle ground is one of the most famous in Europe,
not even the plains of Belgium possessing a richer historical
significance than that melancholy plain, the Champagne-Pouilleuse,
upon whose inhospitable flats rested for centuries the curse of a
prophecy, that there would the fate of France be decided, a prophecy
of rare connotation of accuracy, for it refrained from stating what
that fate should be. Yet the historic sense is amplified even more
by remembrance than by prophecy, for in the territory confronting
that huge arc on which 1,400,000 German and Austrian soldiers lay
encamped, awaiting what even the German generals declared to be
"the great decision," there lies, on the old Roman road running
from Chalons a vast oval mound, known to tradition as "the Camp of
Attila." In that country, a Roman general, Aetius, leading a host
of soldiers of whom many were Gauls, broke a vast flood wave of the
Huns as those savage Mongol hordes hurled themselves against Rome's
westernmost possession. On that occasion, however, the Visigoths,
under their King Theodoric, fought side by side with the Gauls.
Then, the dwellers on the banks of the Rhine and on the banks of
the Seine were brothers in arms, now, that same countryside shall
see them locked in deadly conflict.

The morale of tradition is a curious thing, and often will nerve a
sword arm when the most impassioned utterance of a beloved leader
may fail. There were few among the soldiers of France who forgot
that in the south of this same plain of Champagne-Pouilleuse was
the home of Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, patriot and saint,
and more than one French soldier prayed that the same voices which
had whispered in the ear of the virgin of Domremy should guide
the generalissimo who was to lead the armies of France upon the
morrow. Here, tradition again found old alliances severed and new
ones formed, for the Maid of Orleans led the French against the
English, while in the serried ranks awaiting the awful test of
the shock of battle, English and French soldiers lived and slept
as brothers.

The topography of the region of the battle field is of more than
common interest, for modern tactics deal with vaster stretches
of country than would have been considered in any previous war.
This is due, partly, to the large armies handled, partly to the
terrific range of modern artillery, and also to what may be called
the