Europe is divided into two main blocks: TRIPLE ENTENTE (1910) with France, England and Russia. TRIPLE ALLIANCE (1882) with the German Empire, the Empire of Austria-Hungary and Italy which Romania is bound by a confidentiality agreement.
On 28 June 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz-Ferdinand Habsburg, heir of Austrian emperor Franz-Joseph, by a pro-Serb anarchist in Sarajevo in Bosnia, triggered a process that set all of Euro...
It was in the Balkans, which was an unstable region much coveted by the great powers, that tensions ran high. In 1912, the First Balkan War was declared. The Balkan League consisted of Serbia, Bulgar...
The situation was no better between France and Germany. Since 1911 and the crisis surrounding the French protectorate in Morocco, European relations had been tense. The French were convinced that Ger...
According to the newspapers, international tensions worsened on 27 July. On 28 July, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. But the terrible interlocking of alliances soon began: Serbia was supporte...
The German empire had formed the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy; Great Britain and France had formed the "Entente cordiale"; the British were committed to guaranteeing the neutrality ...
After its victory in 1870, Germany prepared a "vengeful" plan of war against France. The Schlieffen-Moltke Plan paved the way for the deployment of two armies in Alsace-Lorraine, which had been annex...
2 Augustus 1914. From all the church towers in France, the tocsin bell sounded. The tocsin bell always spells disaster. In less than one week, the villages were emptied of their lifeblood: men aged 2...
On 23 August 1914, the village of Arrancy-sur-Crusnes, with its remarkable geographical location, was encircled by German forces, which forced the French regiments to retreat gradually towards Consta...
On 27 August 1914, the Montmédy garrison, with its 2300 men, was ordered by General Joffre to leave the citadel and return to Verdun. On the morning of 28 August, most of the men were in the forest o...
On 22 August, the fighting raged on. The 151st Infantry Regiment sent the 1st Battalion into the woods of Doncourt and the 3rd battalion into the woods of Goémont and Grand-Champ. The 151st Regiment ...
The village of Ethe was the tragic scene of one of the bloodiest battles of 22 August 1914. A French division found itself cornered by the enemy in the village, with one enemy division coming from th...
Witness account of a soldier called Berty (Bulletin de l'Amicale des Anciens combattants des 155 e et 355 e RI, N° 231): "Early in the morning on 22 August, my company was positioned under artillery ...
Shortly after war was declared, the fighting between France and Germany entered into its active phase at Mangiennes on 10 August 1914. The population was preparing for the harvest. It was in no doubt...
From 3 August 1914, when war was declared, the first few weeks of fighting unfolded in various stages in the Spincourt sector. On 24 August, the area around Spincourt was in flames, following the att...
The agenda is an invaluable tool and will help you organise your weekends during the Great War centenary year. It will also enable you to take part in free commemorative and festive events, by providing you with an exclusive à la carte programme!
After the Great War, which began 100 years ago, all that remained of this region were battlefields and destroyed villages. In the same place, you will now find idyllic landscapes and picturesque villages. In order to help you visit the region, the CHEMINS DE MEMOIRE project has developed 10 CIRCUITS, ranging from 35 - 80 km. As you pass along the trails, information points will help you find out more about the special and little known history of the Battle of the Frontiers.
You can pick up a free map from the region's tourist offices.
