lar military idol, no
boulevard dashing figure. But he had seen active service with credit,
and had climbed, step by step, with persevering study of military
science into the council of the French General Staff. As a strategist
his qualities came to be recognized as paramount in that body. A few
years previously he had been intrusted with the reorganization of the
French army, and his plans accepted. Therefore, when war with Germany
became a certainty, it was natural the supreme command of the French
army should fall to General Joffre.
CHAPTER VI
CAMPAIGNS IN ALSACE AND LORRAINE
The French staff apparently had designed a campaign in Upper Alsace and
the Vosges, but the throwing of a brigade from Belfort across the
frontier on the extreme right of their line on August 6 would seem to
have been undertaken chiefly with a view of rousing patriotic
enthusiasm. French aeroplane scouts had brought in the intelligence that
only small bodies of German troops occupied the left bank of the Rhine.
Therefore the opportunity was presented to invade the upper part of the
lost province of Alsace--a dramatic blow calculated to arouse the French
patriotic spirit. Since the Germans had expended hardly any effort in
its defense, leaving, as it were an open door, it may have been part of
the strategic idea of their General Staff to draw a French army into
that region, with the design of inflicting a crushing defeat. Thus
French resistance in the southern Vosges would have been weakened, the
capture of Belfort, unsupported by its field army, a probability, and a
drive beyond into France by the German forces concentrated at
Neubreisach made triumphant. Doubtless the French General Staff fully
grasped the German intention, but considered a nibble at the alluring
German bait of some value for its sentimental effect upon the French and
Alsatians. Otherwise the invasion of Upper Alsace with a brigade was
doomed at the outset to win no military advantage.
On August 7, 1914, the French dispersed a German outpost intrenched
before Altkirch. Some cavalry skirmishing followed, which resulted in
the French gaining possession of the city. As was to be expected, the
citizens of Altkirch welcomed the French with enthusiasm. The following
morning the French were permitted an uncontested advance to Muelhausen.
That such an important manufacturing center as Muelhausen should have
remained unfortified within striking distance of the French fro
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