The Rest Is History – Episode 595: The First World War: The Battle of the Frontiers (Part 2)

Hosts: Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook
Release Date: August 27, 2025

Overview

This episode continues the deep dive into the opening phase of the First World War, focusing on the Battle of the Frontiers and the early confrontations between Germany, France, and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). With characteristic wit, narrative verve, and sharp analysis, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook bring to life not only the scale of destruction and chaos of August 1914, but also the personal experiences and colorful personalities who shaped these historic battles. The episode is rich in both military detail and cultural context, giving listeners both a strategic overview and revealing anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. British Entry to the War and the Character of Leadership

[00:32–03:12]

• Aubrey Herbert's Memoir: The episode opens with a reading from the diary of Aubrey Herbert, a British officer, describing his wounding and humane capture at Mons. His account sets the tone for the episode's mix of brutality and chivalry.

  “The German with a red beard with the sun shining on his helmet and bayonet came up looking like an angel of death. ... He was extraordinarily kind and polite. He said, 'Wir sind Kameraden.'”
  – Aubrey Herbert (read at [00:32])

• British Attitudes & Preparedness: The hosts debunk the myth that pre-war Britain was ignorant of the coming catastrophe. Even Churchill, usually seen as bullish, described the looming hostilities as “a calamity for civilized Europe.”
  – [03:13–03:47]

• British Expeditionary Force (BEF): Tiny compared to French and German armies—only 80,000 men—reflecting Britain's tradition of avoiding large standing armies. Despite its small size, the BEF's professionalism and training are emphasized.
  – [03:56–09:21]

  “Although there are very few of them, they're very well trained and they're very well equipped... They are an elite force.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [09:21]

• LEADERSHIP FLAWS: The less-than-ideal commander: Field Marshal Sir John French is introduced, caricatured both by Barbara Tuchman's “Guns of August” and by the hosts for his lack of French language skills and dismissive attitude towards his French allies.
  – [10:37–12:09]

  “He was short, stocky and florid... gave him the appearance of being perpetually on the verge of choking. As indeed he was, emotionally, if not physically.”
  – Barbara Tuchman on Sir John French [11:25]

2. French Military Culture and Catastrophic Early Offensives

[13:43–18:23]

• French Army Personality: General Joffre (“Papa Joff”) is described as implacable, aloof, and deeply traditional—“nothing interferes with my routine” (lunches, avoidance of telephones). His leadership contrasts sharply with British expectations. – [15:12–17:26]

  “He looks like a kind of aged Obelix, doesn’t he?”
  – Tom Holland [16:10]

• Old vs. New Technology & Tactics: The French enter war in ornate uniforms, plumed helmets, and with Napoleonic bravado—marching to drums and bugles—while Germans exploit machine guns and modern artillery.
  – [15:09–15:53]

• Catastrophic Losses: The French adhere to a reckless offensive doctrine (Plan XVII), advancing against machine guns largely unprotected. On August 22, 1914, they lose 27,000 men—a staggering one-day loss. – [21:09–24:34]

  “In this small stretch of the front... 5,000 men were shot down. That's five times more than the Germans lost.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [22:44]

  “On the second day of the offensive, the 22nd of August, the French lost 27,000 men killed. It's the bloodiest day of the war.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [24:34]

• Impact and Reflection: The hosts emphasize how these disasters forged both French and British attitudes, fostering mutual suspicion. The French refusal to collapse under such immense losses is highlighted as both extraordinary and underappreciated.

  “In the English-speaking world, the French contribution to the First World War is generally massively underestimated.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [25:54]

3. British Experiences: Mons and the "Angels"

[26:51–43:21]

• BEF at Mons: The British march east, unaware of the disastrous French retreat. When the Germans attack at Mons (August 23), the well-trained British riflemen surprise the Germans, who mistake their rapid fire for machine guns.

  “The British are now nine miles in front of the bloodied and battered French army to their right. But Sir John doesn't know this.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [34:00]

• Sidney Godley VC: Highlighted as an exemplary ordinary British hero, Godley single-handedly mans a machine gun to cover his unit’s retreat, sustaining multiple wounds before being captured. The story, retold with gusto, underscores the BEF’s professionalism and bravery.

  “For two hours, Sidney stayed at his post, his aching finger pressed on the trigger, giving his friends time to escape... Still, Sidney refused to give up...”
  – Tom Holland reading [38:51]

• German Respect & British Withdrawal: Despite heroism, the BEF is outnumbered and must withdraw. German officers later express surprise and admiration for the “English” whom they had previously underestimated.

  "It was a bad defeat... we were badly beaten and by the English... that we'd laughed at a few hours before."
  – Walter Blum, Brandenburg officer [42:47]

• Cultural Mythmaking: Angels of Mons: The widely spread rumor that ghostly archers from Agincourt appeared to save the British at Mons is introduced as a key moment in wartime myth.

  “...Ghostly archers returned from the dead to help their British friends in their hour of need.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [40:41]

  (Exclusive bonus episode on this myth is teased for club members.)

4. The Great Retreat and Anglo-French Friction

[43:27–51:36]

• Retreats North and South: As the French and British retreat, the British are left isolated and vulnerable. Sir John French’s collapse in confidence and desire to withdraw to the Channel is described with exasperation by the hosts.

  “At this point, he completely loses the plot.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook on Sir John French [42:53]

• La Cateau: General Smith-Dorrien (“sort of Flashmanesque life... what a life!”) chooses to make a stand at Le Cateau, probably saving the army from total destruction and further delaying the German advance, which is critical for the overall campaign outcome.

  “The British lost more men than they lost on the first day of D Day, would you believe?”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [49:07]

  “Strategically... it's kind of a win for the BEF.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook [50:27]

• Hardships of Retreat: The retreat is grueling—200 miles in 11 days, near collapse, low morale, and an increasing tendency among British officers and men to blame the French.

  “We appear to be simply driven blindly back.”
  – Gunner Sgt. William Edgington [51:36]

  "The damn French army never appears at all. ...We've been fighting alone. I suddenly can't believe in these Frenchmen."
  – Captain James Harbour/Guy Harcourt Vernon [51:42]

• Cultural Clashes: Mutual contempt and resentment between the BEF and their French allies build, deepening misunderstandings that would color much of the war.

  "...the French, as we will see, are complaining that the British refusing to do what they want them to do. So this sense of mutual contempt of these two Allied forces, not very promising, really."
  – Tom Holland [26:16]

5. Strategic Crisis: Will the British Withdraw?

[53:12–57:58]

• Sir John French's Wavering: Facing heavy losses, he informs Paris and London he intends to withdraw the BEF behind Paris, essentially abandoning the French capital. This triggers a government crisis in London.

  “I have decided to retire behind the Seine to the west of Paris... I am washing my hands now of collaboration with the French.”
  – Dominic Sandbrook, quoting Sir John French [53:41]

• French Morale in Crisis: As news of the crisis breaks in Britain and Paris, the atmosphere is bleak, with rumors of the French government preparing to abandon Paris, evacuate gold reserves and artwork, and burn documents. The city braces for siege as refugees clog the roads and rumors of imminent German entry swirl.

  "Paris is a city at bay... the fall of France is at hand. Or is it?"
  – Dominic Sandbrook [57:58]

• Cliffhanger: The episode ends on the knife-edge moment as both French and British governments grapple with disaster looming over Paris. The eventual turn of the tide—and the “Miracle of the Marne"—is deferred to the next episode.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |---|---|---| | “He [the German] was extraordinarily kind and polite. He said, 'Wir sind Kameraden.'” | Aubrey Herbert (read by host) | 00:32 | | “It's a complete myth that people didn't know how murderous it would be.” | Dominic Sandbrook | 02:22 | | “On a single day in August 1914, 22 August, more Frenchmen were killed than the British lost in the entire Crimean War.” | Dominic Sandbrook | 05:11 | | “Sir John French ... he regards the French with absolute contempt. 'They're a low lot, and one always has to remember the class that these French generals mostly come from.'” | Dominic Sandbrook | 12:09 | | “His [Joffre's] headquarters ... every day at 11 o'clock sharp, no matter what is happening, he goes back to this lodging house for lunch... Nothing interferes with my routine.” | Dominic Sandbrook | 16:45 | | “'A Frenchman must look the enemy in the face, so they don't use these shields.' ...Our men in full kit started running heavily up the grassy slope, drums beating, bugles sounding the charge. We were all shot down before we got to them.” | Dominic Sandbrook | 22:46 | | “On the second day of the offensive, the 22nd of August, the French lost 27,000 men killed. It's the bloodiest day of the war.” | Dominic Sandbrook | 24:34 | | “For two hours, Sidney stayed at his post... All the time the German shells rained down... Still Sidney refused to give up, blazing away at the advancing grey ranks.” | Tom Holland (reading) | 38:51 | | "It was a bad defeat... we were badly beaten and by the English... that we'd laughed at a few hours before." | Walter Blum, German officer (quoted) | 42:47 | | “We appear to be simply driven blindly back.” | Gunner Sergeant William Edgington | 51:36 | | “I am washing my hands now of collaboration with the French.” | Sir John French (quoted) | 53:41 |

See timestamps throughout for context; significant moments alluded to notable historical figures, military blunders, and cultural misunderstandings.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:32–03:12 — Aubrey Herbert’s memoir and British prewar attitudes
• 09:46–12:09 — The flawed leadership of Sir John French
• 13:43–18:23 — Joffre’s style and the French military’s mindset
• 21:09–24:34 — Catastrophic French losses: the disasters of 22 August
• 34:00–38:51 — BEF at Mons, British heroics, and Sidney Godley’s story
• 40:41–41:36 — The Angels of Mons myth and wartime legend-making
• 42:53–43:27 — Sir John French’s loss of nerve post-Mons
• 48:10–50:27 — La Cateau, Smith-Dorrien’s stand, and military significance
• 51:36–53:41 — The grinding retreat and growing Anglo-French antagonism
• 53:41–57:58 — British strategic crisis as Sir John French signals a total withdrawal

Style and Tone

The hosts balance dark humor, irony, and historical narrative, lacing their account with public school in-jokes, affectionate sarcasm towards baffling leadership, and genuine admiration for both extraordinary heroism and the tragic scale of loss. Their dynamic (Tom as the classical historian prone to rhetorical flights; Dominic as the deadpan, sometimes jaded modernist) gives the show its unique blend of energy and insight.

Concluding Note

The episode concludes on a high-stakes cliffhanger: Paris is threatened, French and British morale is crumbling, and Allied unity is tenuous at best. The question of whether the Germans will take Paris, and how the Allies will respond, is teased for the next installment, with an invitation for listeners to explore further content and discussion through The Rest Is History Club.

Next: The “Miracle of the Marne” and the re-shaping of the Western Front.

(For the full experience, including the bonus deep-dive on the Angels of Mons and further episodes in early access, see therestishistory.com.)