GIBLE AND AEROPLANE FLEETS
OPERATE. ONLY THOSE CITIES THAT HAVE AERODROMES ARE SHOWN ON THIS MAP.
SEVERAL BELGIAN AND FRENCH AERODROMES ALSO ARE SHOWN.]

"The two principal Belgian centers are at Brasschaet, near Antwerp,
and Etterbeck, near Brussels. The aviators operating in the early
engagements have undoubtedly flown down from Brussels and are in
temporary camp at Liege. There are probably not more than four Belgian
escadrilles, or little fleets of four machines each, on the scene, while
Germany's force is supposedly greater."

CHAPTER XVIII

BATTLE OF THE AISNE

_Most Prolonged Encounter in History Between Gigantic Forces--A
Far-Flung Battle Line--Germans Face French and British in the Aisne
Valley and Fight for Weeks--Mighty Armies Deadlocked After a Desperate
and Bloody Struggle_.

For a few days after the tide of battle in France turned in favor of
the Allies (September 9), the German forces continued to retreat to the
north, closely followed by the French and British armies that had fought
and won the battle of the Marne, as described in a previous chapter.
This northward movement was marked by heavy German losses in men and
munitions of war, and lasted until Saturday, September 12, when the
Germans were found to be occupying a position of great defensive
strength on the River Aisne, north of Soissons. At that time they held
both sides of the river and had a formidable line of intrenchments on
the hills to the north of eight road bridges and two railway bridges
crossing the Aisne. Seven of the road bridges and both the railway
bridges had been destroyed.

The Allies gained some high ground south of the Aisne, overlooking the
Aisne valley, east of Soissons. Then began (on Saturday, September 12)
an action along the Aisne which was destined to go down in history as
the greatest and most prolonged battle of all time. Two days, three
days, a week, two weeks, three, four, five weeks it lasted, with varying
fortune to the contending armies, but no decisive result. Germans,
French and British, literally by the thousand, fell under the continuous
hail of shrapnel, the hurricane of machine-gun and rifle fire, or in
the desperate bayonet charges of daily occurrence, but still the battle
raged. Minor positions were gained and lost, towns and villages along
the far-flung battle line were occupied and evacuated, countless deeds
of heroism were wrought, to be sung and celebrated by posterity in a
dozen differen