Mobilization: The End Begins

On August 1, 1914, at 4:00 PM, church bells across France rang the tocsin calling reserves to their regiments. The mobilization, planned for years, proceeded with stunning efficiency. Railway stations filled with men in civilian clothes carrying military papers. Women and children saw them off with forced cheer, everyone insisting the war would end by Christmas.

Marie Curie, vacationing in Brittany with her daughters, returned immediately to Paris to secure her radium supplies and offer scientific services. Sarah Bernhardt, age 69 with a wooden leg, organized theatrical benefits. The feminist Marguerite Durand suspended La Fronde to support the war effort. The Belle Époque's divisive figures united in patriotic effort.

The mood combined resignation with exhilaration. Young men who'd missed their fathers' generation's military glory saw opportunity for heroism. The peace had lasted too long; war would provide meaning and purpose. The illusions about modern warfare's reality—despite warnings from recent conflicts—proved tragically persistent.

Paris transformed overnight. The Eiffel Tower's lights extinguished to prevent targeting. Museums packed artworks for safety. The government prepared to evacuate to Bordeaux. Luxury shops closed as staff mobilized. The city of pleasure became city of war with remarkable speed.