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The French Fifth Army under the command of General Charles Lanrezac had been sent into Belgium by General Joseph Joffre commander in chief of the French army. Repeatedly Lanzerac had warned Joffre that the Germans were in strength in Belgium. There were clashes between Lanzerac and Joffre and also between Lanzerac and Sir John French commander of the BEF. Eventually Joffre sacks Lanzerac and replaces him with General Louis Franchet d'Espèrey commander of the I French Corps part of the French Fifth Army. What if Joffre gets annoyed sooner with Lanzerac and sacks him on August 21st after the German crossed the Sambre and Lanzerac wanted to pull back?

So Lanzerac is sacked for lack of aggression and d'Espèrey takes command instead. D'Espèrey spends an extra day or two slugging it out with the Germans. This allows the German Third Army under Hausen from the east and or perhaps German troops from the west to get behind the French Fifth.

So the Battle of Charleroi becomes an encirclement as multiple Corps, perhaps the entire Fifth Army are pocketed by the Germans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Charleroi#/media/File:Battles_of_Charleroi_and_Mons_map.png

Once the French 5th Army is forced to surrender what happens then?
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