:01:19
War began between Germany
and France on August 3rd 1914.
:01:26
Five weeks later
the German army had smashed its way
:01:28
to within 18 miles of Paris.
:01:31
There, the battered French rallied
their forces at the Marne river
:01:35
and, in a series of unexpected
counterattacks, drove the Germans back.
:01:39
The front was stabilised,
then shortly afterwards
:01:42
developed into a continuous
line of heavily fortified trenches,
:01:45
zigzagging their way 500 miles from
the English Channel to the Swiss frontier.
:01:51
By 1916, after two grisly years
of trench warfare,
:01:55
the battle lines had changed very little.
:01:58
Successful attacks were
measured in hundreds of yards,
:02:01
and paid for in lives
by hundreds of thousands.
:02:08
General Broulard, sir.
:02:10
- Hello, George. How are you?
- Paul. Wonderful seeing you again.
:02:14
Well, this is splendid.
:02:17
Superb!
:02:20
I try to create a pleasant atmosphere
in which to work.
:02:22
You've succeeded marvellously. I wish
I had your taste in carpets and pictures.
:02:27
You're much too kind, George.
Sit down, George.
:02:30
I haven't done very much. The place is
much the same as it was when I moved in.
:02:36
Paul, I've come to see you
about something big.
:02:39
It's top-secret. It must go no further
than your Chief of Staff, and not to him,
:02:43
- unless you can trust his discretion.
- Of course.
:02:46
A group of armies is forming
on this front for an offensive.
:02:50
Headquarters is determined to make
a breakthrough. You're smiling.
:02:53
I'm sorry. I thought for a moment I knew
what you were going to say. Please go on.
:02:58
I never knew you were a mind-reader.
What did you think I was about to say?