▁a ▁final ▁push ▁would ▁be ▁decis ive ▁and ▁that ▁more ▁withdraw als ▁would ▁comprom ise ▁the ▁mor ale ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁troops , ▁after ▁the ▁defeat ▁on ▁the ▁Mar ne . ▁From ▁ ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁ordered ▁the ▁ 1 st , ▁ 2 nd ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁arm ies , ▁tempor arily ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁Karl ▁von ▁Bü low , ▁to ▁attack ▁south wards ▁and ▁the ▁ ▁to ▁attack ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁weak ening ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁prevent ing ▁troops ▁from ▁being ▁moved ▁west wards . ▁The ▁ 6 th ▁Army ▁began ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁western ▁fl ank ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁September , ▁ready ▁for ▁a ▁decis ive ▁battle ▁() ▁but ▁French ▁attacks ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁September , ▁led ▁Fal ken h ay n ▁to ▁order ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Army ▁to ▁operate ▁def ens ively ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁German ▁fl ank . ▁ ▁French ▁plan ▁of ▁attack ▁French ▁attempts ▁to ▁advance ▁after ▁the ▁German ▁ret irement ▁to ▁the ▁A is ne ▁were ▁fr ustr ated ▁after ▁ 1 4 ▁September , ▁when ▁German ▁troops ▁were ▁discovered ▁to ▁have ▁stopped ▁their ▁ret irement ▁and ▁d ug ▁in ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁A is ne . ▁J off re ▁ordered ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁arm ies ▁but ▁attempts ▁by ▁the ▁Fif th , ▁N inth ▁and ▁Six th ▁arm ies ▁to ▁advance ▁from ▁ ▁had ▁little ▁success . ▁The ▁Deux ième ▁Bureau ▁( F rench