First Battle of Artois | |||||||
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Part of theWestern Front of theFirst World War | |||||||
![]() Area of operations, 1914 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Joseph Joffre | Erich von Falkenhayn Rupprecht of Bavaria | ||||||
Artois, a region of northern France of around 4,000 km2 (1,500 sq mi) around Arras, Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune. |
TheFirst Battle of Artois (17 December 1914 – 13 January 1915) was fought during theFirst World War between the French and German armies on the Western Front. The battle was the first offensive move on theWestern Front by either side after the end of theFirst Battle of Ypres in November 1914. The French attack failed to break the stalemate.
During what became known as theRace to the Sea theBattle of Arras(1–4 October) had been fought, after which local operations, particularly on the Lorette Spur, continued during the First Battle of Flanders to the north.
In May 1915, theTenth Army conducted an offensive known as theSecond Battle of Artois. TheThird Battle of Artois, sometimes called the Artois–Loos Offensive, took place from25 September to 15 October 1915.[1]
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