Vionville and Mars-La-Tour

Vionville and Mars-La-Tour

 

towns 22 km west of Metz (France), in the vicinity of which a battle took place on Aug. 16, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, between the French Army of the Rhine (150,000 troops) under Marshal A. F. Bazaine and the Second Prussian Army of Prince Frederick Charles (about 70,000 troops). Despite their numerical superiority, the French waged defensive battles. Thinking that a huge German force was before him, Bazaine drew his forces back to a position behind Metz on the night of August 17. The French losses were 17,000 men, the Prussian losses 16,000.