World War I   Pre History-

French- German Enmity- Elsace- Lorraine dispute

The tensions between Germans and French, the relationship of both peoples shape 1914, have far deeper roots, as between the English and Germans. As early as 1552 the kings of France started to expand its territory to the east to the Rhine.

They use German domestic disputes and the pressure of the Turks in the kingdom to annex firstly, German fortress towns Metz, Toul and Verdun, then ten Alsatian Cities and later, parts of Lorraine and finally included the entire Alsace. The German Mother tongue of the native Alsatian population is no impediment to the French Authority. The French attempt, then to annex even the then German Luxembourg, but fails. In 30 years and Palatine war of succession France uses the given opportunities to burn areas in kilometres in length and about the same in width to ashes. Villages, fields, vineyards and cities are burned, including Worms, Bingen, Mannheim, Heidelberg and Speyer in order to create an odd Landscape to prevent any possible future attempt of annexation of Alsace ever again by the Germans. The vandalism of the French in the Palatinate hills leaves a French image to the local population which remains with the evil word of "successive enmity" until the Second World War.The years from 1806 to 1813 is the French occupation period in the northern Germany which leaves an unpleasant French image because of the high contributions, seizure of possessions, tax burdens, admittance and the pressure to participate as helpers in Napoleon's wars.

1870 France tried for a second time to occupy the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (under Dutch Crown), the Palatinate (now largely Rheinland-Pfalz) and Saarland and extend its border east to it. It causes, starts and lost the war with Germany and pay with handing over Alsace-Lorraine.
Germany pays its part with the hatred of the French and that France remains fundamental to have a new war against Germany.

France looks for “allies for the right time” to get back Alsace and Lorraine in a favourable opportunity. In 1892 she binds a so-called association with Russia. In 1912, the President of the Third Republic Poincare assured Russian government that France would support Russia militarily under all circumstances, whether Russia attacks to begin a war or in case of been attacked.

In addition, France includes in 1904 the "entente cordiale" with Britain and brings the promise of England in 1911 to support army in the event of war with the German Reich. This gives France two powerful allies to the side, Britain and Russia.

Battle of Lorraine

French heavy cavalry on the way to battle, Paris, August 1914.

The Battle of Lorraine was fought in August, 1914, between France and Germany. This followed Plan XVII, which proposed a French offensive through Lorraine and Alsace, and into Germany itself.

French Offensive

The main French offensive in the south, known as the Battle of Lorraine, began on 14 August when the First Army of General Auguste Dubail advanced on Sarrebourg while the Second Army of General de Castelnau headed towards Morhange. The French moves were welcomed by the German Sixth and Seventh Armies under the combined command of Crown Prince Rupprecht — Rupprecht was in charge of the German forces assigned to meet and engage the French assault in the centre until they could be enveloped by the encircling German right wing. The German rearguards, equipped with machine guns, inflicted heavy casualties on the French infantry, still wearing their early 19th-century uniform of blue coat and red trousers.

German Counteroffensive

Crown Prince Rupprecht, dissatisfied with the defensive role assigned to him, petitioned his superiors to allow him a counter-offensive. On August 20 the offensive began and Auguste Dubail ordered his army to withdraw from Morhange. Seeing this, Noel de Castelnau's army pulled out of Sarrebourg. The Germans didn't halt at the border and instead marched on to try and take Nancy. Ferdinand Foch's XX Corps managed to defend the Nancy successfully so the German offensive was halted. To the north, Mulhouse was retaken but it was abandoned as the French gave up on Plan XVII.
The battle lapsed into stalemate until August 24th, when a limited German offensive was launched. The French had been alerted beforehand by scouting aircraft and so German gains were limited to a small salient. The following day, even that was lost when the French counterattacked. Fighting continued on the to the end of the month, When trenches were built and a permanent stalemate began.