After graduating college in 1877 Fuchs joined the
Prussian Army and later became a
Fahnenjunker in the
33rd (East Prussian) Fusiliers "Count Roon". He received his commission as a second lieutenant on February 11, 1879, from 1885 he attended the
Prussian Staff College for three years being promoted to
Oberleutnant. This allowed him to join the
German General Staff in 1890. As a
Hauptmann he led a company in the Magdeburg Fusilier Regiment No. 36 in
Halle (Saale) in 1894. After being promoted to Major in 1898 he taught at the Prussian War Academy for 2 years. He was promoted to
Oberstleutnant in 1905 and became chief of staff of the
IX Corps in
Altona, Hamburg. Once
Oberst he commanded the 4th Lower Alsatian Infantry Regiment No. 143 and the 20th Infantry Brigade once promoted to
Generalmajor in 1911. When he was promoted to
Generalleutnant he was given command of the 16th Division.
World War I At the beginning of
World War I he was commissioned for the
Occupation of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on August 2, 1914. He then fought in association with the
VIII Corps during the
Battle of Neufchâteau. At the end of August 1916, he became the commanding general of the
X Reserve Corps. In October, his command shifted to the
XIV Reserve Corps which was the main area of attack of the
British Fifth Army during the
Battle of the Somme. In March, 1917 he took command over
Armee-Abteilung C between the
Meuse and
Moselle river. After an offensive from the
First United States Army, he had to give up positions east of
Verdun during the
Battle of Saint-Mihiel in mid-September, 1918. After the
Armistice, Fuchs was given command of the
Fifth Army in December, 1918. ==Awards and decorations==