1914_0829_01s: French Morale Restored - FWWC 01 France '14

Guise, France, 27 km northeast of St. Quentin, 29th August 1914: On August 25th, Joffre issued General Instructions Number 2. In this it read: "Having been unable to carry out the offensive maneuver originally planned, future operations will be conducted in such a way as to reconstruct on our left a force capable of resuming the offensive by a combination of the IVe and Ve Armées, the BEF and new forces drawn from the east, while the other armies hold the enemy in check..." Based on these instructions, Lanrezac was ordered to turn the Ve Armée west and counterattack towards St-Quentin in order to allow time for the new VIe Armée to concentrate at Amiens. Lanrezac was furious with the order, fearing that a counterattack would dangerously expose his right flank and risk isolating his army. It was only with direct supervision by Joffre would he carry out his orders. The battle that ensued had a profound impact on the German invasion. While it did put Lanrezac's army at great risk and loss of life, it also was one of the direct causes to von Kluck's radical change in direction to the southeast, instead of towards the southwest. This maneuver completely reversed the provisions of the Schlieffen Plan, and the limited successes here by the French would greatly restore their fighting spirit. [Size: medium] *See the notes document for information on scenario design decisions and historical notes.