German movement had been swift and decisive in the early months of the Great War, taking them to the brink of Paris before meeting stiff resistance from French and British armies at the Battle of the Marne.
As armies from both sides moved across France and into Belgium, jockeying for position and a tactical advantage, gaining or holding the ancient Flemish city of Ypres became critical for both sides. Belgian forces fled from Antwerp on October 10th as Germany captured the city.
The Race to the Sea was now well and truly on. If Germany captured Ypres, they could potentially seize control of the channel ports of Calais, Dunkirk and Boulogne. This would cut off critical chains of supply to the allied forces.
Not a Race At All
Rather than an actual race to the coast, the Race to the Sea was about a series of tactical manoeuvres and short battles designed to envelop the opposition by utilising empty space to the north.
This period of movement culminated on the 19th of October with Germany launching an all-out attack on Ypres. The battle was to last for five bloody weeks, with approximately a quarter of a million troops losing their lives.
Allied defence positions stretching 35 miles formed the Ypres Salient — a heavily populated bulge that protruded into enemy territory. Despite being surrounded by German forces on three sides, leaving its inhabitants vulnerable, it remained for almost the entirety of the Great War.
The Birth of Trench Warfare
No side can claim success in the 1914 Race to the Sea. Its conclusion heralded the birth of trench warfare. In theory trenches were first dug in September, but not on such a magnificent scale. Eventually they would stretch out from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps.
The constructing of trenches and defensive lines weaving 400 miles dispelled the notion there would be a swift end to the conflict, as soldiers bedded down for the winter and a bloody stalemate.