1914 battles

The 1914 battles, notably the First Battle of the Marne, marked the start of World War I. European armies quickly mobilized, leading to fierce fighting across Belgium, France, and Germany. The Germans aimed to quickly defeat France, but the Allies countered effectively at the Marne River, preventing German victory. This led to trench warfare, characterized by long, static stalemates. The battles involved massive armies and intense violence, setting a brutal tone for the war that would last four more years. These early confrontations demonstrated the scale and destructiveness of modern industrial warfare.