The Daily Telegraph WAR BOOKS HOW THE WAR BEGAN By W. L. Courtney , LL.D., and J. M. Kennedy THE FLEETS AT WAR By Archibald Hurd . THE CAMPAIGN OF SEDAN By George Hooper . THE CAMPAIGN ROUND LIEGE By J. M. Kennedy . IN THE FIRING LINE : Stories of Actual Fighting by the Men who Fought. By A. St. John Adcock . GREAT BATTLES OF THE WORLD By Stephen Crane , Author of “The Red Badge of Courage.” THE RED CROSS IN WAR By Miss M. F. Billington . FORTY YEARS AFTER : The Story of the Franco-German War. B

It is the purpose of this book to show the great part played at a crisis in European history by a little People; the signal bravery of their decision; the vital importance, from a military standpoint, of their valiant defence of their Fatherland; and the moral effect in the struggle of that love of liberty which in the face of a devastation unparalleled in western Europe since the seventeenth century, has left their spirit unsubdued. Incomplete though at this juncture the record must be, the Bri

At seven o’clock on the evening of Sunday, August 2, the German Minister at Brussels presented to the Belgian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the Note from his Government demanding as an Act of “friendly neutrality” a free passage through Belgium for the German armies forming the main part of the expeditionary forces against France. The Note promised to respect the independence and integrity of Belgium at the conclusion of peace. It asked for the temporary surrender, on military grounds,

Germany’s rejoinder to Belgium was a declaration of war. On August 3, German troops crossed the frontier at Dolhain, Francochamps, and Stavelot. Already on the previous day a German army, waiting at Treves, had crossed the Moselle at Wasserbillig, Besselbrieck, and Remich, and in defiance of protests occupied Luxemburg. These were the first military movements in the war. Driving in the Belgian cavalry outposts along the frontier, the troops from Aix, three army corps under the command of General

When, on August 4, King Albert read his speech to the joint meeting of the Belgian Chamber and Senate, it might well have been thought that the darkest hour had come in Belgium’s long and troubled history. But the King spoke with unfaltering resolve. Come what might, the Belgian people would maintain the freedom which was their birthright. In the moment for action they would not shrink from sacrifices. “I have faith in our destinies,” King Albert concluded. “A country which defends itself wins r

Independently of delay, there was yet another reason for the defence of the forts at Liége which compelled the enemy to break them up. Their destruction meant that Liége as a fortress had ceased for the time to exist. For Belgium this was a heavy sacrifice. Its possible bearing, however, in the later stages of the war on a German defence of the Lower Rhine is manifest. As time goes by the trend of events makes it clear that the strategy of the Allied Powers was from the outset inspired by long v

Whether or not the operations just described had in the estimation of the German commanders fulfilled their purpose cannot be decided, but is at least open to doubt. Not only in the more serious fighting but in the numerous smaller skirmishes and unceasing affairs of outposts the losses to the invaders, were it really known, would probably appear surprising. The losses fell mainly upon their cavalry, and most of all upon their uhlans. A perfect cloud of these raiders had swarmed over the country

From August 17 to August 21 were days of intense suspense in Brussels. Dr. E. J. Dillon has drawn a picture of them sober yet arresting and faithful. Naturally, after the removal of the Government, there was a feeling that the city was on the eve of grave events. Amid the public anxiety the Burgomaster, M. Adolphe Max, showed the evidences of that civic spirit and unfaltering firmness, worthy of the greatest years in the old struggle for freedom, which later made him the hero of his fellow-citiz

From Brussels by road to Mons is less than 40 miles; from Liége to Charleroi in the valley of the Sambre little more than 50. It is clear now that while one part of the great invading host took the direct route from Liége towards the Sambre, the other made a detour by way of Brussels to meet the Belgian army. The object was to strike towards the three great international roads running to Paris from Belgium. The most westerly of these great routes passes from Brussels through Mons and Valencienne

On August 20, the day before the formal entry of the German forces into Brussels, the Belgians had evacuated Malines. It was deemed prudent, as in fact it was, to withdraw the forces to the line of the outer forts of Antwerp. Some of the most violent fighting on August 19 and 20 had taken place 16 miles to the south-east of Antwerp at Aerschot. There the Germans had made their determined, but unsuccessful, effort to cross the Dyle. Once in occupation of Brussels, they turned Malines into the hea

To follow in detail the operations from now of the Belgian forces from day to day would be less informing than to sum up their plan and their effect. As it stood on August 25 the situation was that the Belgians held all the country to the north of the Scheldt and the Dyle, and the Germans all the country to the south of these rivers. From Turcoing on the French frontier to Antwerp, the Scheldt follows a course roughly parallel to the coast. At Antwerp its bed describes a sharp bend to seaward. S

In this drama of a gallant nation’s sorrows, a spectacle which, the world over, must endear the name of freedom afresh to every heroic heart, no act has appealed more strongly than the gallant defence of Antwerp and its lurid close. Once the commercial capital of the world, adorned, to quote the words of Motley, “with some of the most splendid edifices in Christendom,” Antwerp has the honour which no vicissitudes can dim of being one of the earliest seats in Europe of public spirit and liberty.

July 31. —Germany declares war against Russia and sends 12 hours’ ultimatum to France. Belgian Government orders partial mobilisation. August 1. —Germany formally announces mobilisation. France orders mobilisation. August 2. —German troops invade Luxemburg. German ultimatum presented at Brussels, giving 12 hours for reply. August 3. —Belgian Government refuse demand for German occupation of Belgium and “assisted passage” to German troops. German armies cross Belgian frontier. August 4. —Combat o