ranchet d'Esperey had
not supported Maunoury's attack vigorously and succeeded in breaking
the German left; if, especially, Foch, at the center, had not
performed unheard of miracles in breaking down the enemy's resistance
and not allowing his own lines to be broken; if, farther on, de Langle
de Cary and Sarrail had not held off the Princes of Bavaria and
Prussia before Vitry; if, on the right, de Castelnau had not held
until the end the Grand Couronne at Nancy. The first truth is that
they were all--Joffre, Gallieni, Maunoury, Franchet d'Esperey, Foch,
de Langle de Cary, Sarrail, Castelnau, Dubail, to mention them in the
order of the battle line from left to right--absolutely incomparable.
As an eye-witness said, "each man was on his own," each man gave the
very best there was in his brain, his skill, his mind, his soul, his
heart. The battle would have been lost if a single one of them had
failed once during the entire seven days it raged. Opposed to the Huns
was a chain forged of the finest steel, every link in which met the
test for equal and unparalleled resistance. Therein lay the miracle of
the Marne!

And the second great truth is that behind these generals, who all
showed themselves without equal, were armies which, without exception,
had kept intact their fighting spirit, that is, their faith in
themselves, in their leaders, in the destiny of their country, in the
beauty of the cause for which they fought.... Enough can never be said
of the elemental importance that lies in the morale of the fighting
men on the battle field. It is lamentable to hear far distant
strategists reduce the conflict of two peoples to a problem in tactics
or a list of ordnance statistics. It is enough to make angels weep
when spectators, at a safe distance, speak of succoring a beaten
people by sending them food stuffs, shells and men. Above all, beyond
all, is that immaterial, incalculable, invaluable force which is the
sole true mistress of warfare--moral force--fighting spirit!

The Frenchmen in the Battle of the Marne kept their fighting spirit
intact. I remember asking many of the officers attached to the forces
which, after the Battle of Charleroi, retreated under a broiling sun,
along roads burning with heat, through a suffocating dust, how they
felt at this disheartening time. All of them answered, "We did not
know where we were going or what we were doing, but we did know one
thing--that we would beat them!" One writer, Pie