The news quickly reached Paris.
France was stunned by the British Army's "results"; no one expected the land army of the world's leading power to be so easily defeated.
Even if they couldn't compare with Shire's troops before, they could at least use trench warfare to stalemate the enemy.
But now, the British Expeditionary Force, including the Colonial Army, totaling over 600,000 troops, with over a thousand large-caliber artillery pieces and two months of continuous ammunition transport reserves, was defeated in mere days!
Perhaps to save face, Kitchener issued a statement through Le Figaro: "The reason is the inadequate combat power of the Colonial Army; we will soon be able to stop the enemy's advance and maintain the integrity of our lines."
He shifted the blame to the Colonial Army, avoiding saying they had "mutinied," as this might cause greater panic.
