136 The Great War tion to repeat Sedan on a truly colossal scale. To this effort the following ten days were devoted. At the precise moment when the fatal German " drive " began, it was Thursday, August 20, the great mass of the German Army was less than 150 miles from Paris. At least two-thirds of the French Army were from 250 to 300 miles away, along the Vosges and the Meuse, fighting desperately and making little real headway. Before Nancy the much-advertised " counter-offensive " had come to grief and after a brief foray into German Lorraine had been sent home shattered. South before Bel- fort another invading French army clung to Muel- hausen, which it had taken, lost, and retaken. On August 23 the first blow had been struck. At the same time the centre of the Allied Army in Northern France, standing near Charleroi and the right on the Meuse near Givet were assailed, over- whelmed, forced back after desperate fighting, while Namur, to the amazement of the world had fallen on the previous day. The British on the left about Mons repulsed several savage attacks, but were in- volved in the general retreat, their own unguarded left already exposed to a flank attack. This first blow was an attempt to destroy by sheer weight rather than to outflank and only by rapid retreat was disaster avoided. The second stroke came upon August 26. It fell upon the British alone. Standing about Cambrai, Le Cateau, Landrecies, and preparing to withdraw,