THE INVASION OF BELGIUM
_Belgians Rush to Defense of Their Frontier--Towns Bombarded
and Burned--Defense of Liege--Fall of Liege--
--Fall of Namur--Peasants and Townspeople Flee--
Destruction of Louvain_.
At 10 o'clock on the night of August 2 German troops crossed the Belgian
frontier, coming from Aix-la-Chapelle, or Aachen, temporary headquarters
of the general staff, and the bloody invasion of Belgium, involving the
violation of its neutral treaty rights, began. Simultaneously the German
forces entered the independent duchy of Luxemburg to the south, en route
to the French border, and also came in touch with French outposts in the
provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.
The events that followed in Belgium furnished a genuine surprise to
the world. Instead of finding the Belgian people indifferent to the
violation of their territory and the Belgian army only a slight obstacle
in the road to Paris, as was probably expected by the German general
staff, a most gallant and determined resistance was offered to the
progress of the German hosts. The army of the little State was quickly
mobilized for defense and its operations, while ineffectual in stopping
the Kaiser's irresistible force, delayed its advance for three
invaluable weeks, giving time for the complete mobilization of the
French and for the landing of a British expeditionary force to
co-operate with the latter in resisting the German approach to Paris.
Just across the Belgian border lay the little towns of Visé and
Verviers, and these were the first objects of German attack and Belgian
defense. Both were occupied after desperate resistance by the Belgians
and Visé was partly demolished by fire in reprisal, it was claimed,
for the firing by civilians on the German invaders. The subsequent
bombardment and burning of towns and villages by the Germans were
explained in every case as measures of revenge for hostile acts on the
part of non-combatants and intended to prevent their occurrence
elsewhere by striking terror into the hearts of the Belgian populace.
Whatever the pretext or the excuse, the historical fact remains that the
result of the German progress toward the Franco-Belgian frontier
constituted a martyrdom for Belgium and gained for the plucky little
kingdom the fullest sympathy of the civilized world.
[Illustration:--From the Literary Digest BELGIUM--THE FIRST BATTLEFIELD OF THE WAR
The map shows the more important railroad lines connecting the cities of
Brussels, Antwerp and Namur and those of Northern France. Paris is
200 miles by rail from Brussels and 190 from Namur.]
THE ATTACK ON LIEGE
The ancient city of Liège was attacked by the German artillery on August
4. The town itself was occupied, five days later, but the modern forts
surrounding it continued for some time longer to hold out against the
fierce German attack. It became necessary to bring up the heaviest
modern Krupp siege guns in order to reduce them.
Amidst all the plethora of events which crowded themselves into the
first few days following the outbreak of the war, none was more
remarkable than the Belgian stand at Liège against the German advance.
The struggle round Liège bids fair to become historic, and the garrisons
of the Liège forts when they looked out fearlessly from the banks of the
Meuse on the vanguard of the German host, and took decision to block
its further progress, proved their claim once again to Julius Cæsar's
description of their ancestors, "The Belgians are the bravest of the
Gauls."
THE FALL OF LIEGE
News of the fall of Liege and the occupation of the city by German
troops was received with great rejoicing in Berlin on August 8th.
Dispatches received at Amsterdam from the German capital said:
The news of the fall of Liege spread with lightning rapidity throughout
Berlin and created boundless enthusiasm. The Emperor sent an
aide-de-camp to announce the capture of the city to crowds that
assembled outside the palace.
Policemen on bicycles dashed along Unter den Linden proclaiming the
joyful tidings. Imperial Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg drove to the castle
to congratulate the Emperor on the victory and was enthusiastically
cheered along the way.
PEASANTS AND TOWNSPEOPLE FLEE
Following the fall of Liège came a number of sanguinary engagements in
northern Belgium; the unopposed occupation of Brussels on August 20, and
a four days' battle beginning on August 23, in which the Germans forced
back the French and British allies to the line of Noyon-LaFère across
the northern frontier of France. In the northern engagements the
Belgians gave a good account of themselves, but were everywhere forced
to give way before the innumerable hosts of the Kaiser, though not
without inflicting tremendous losses on the invaders.
The retirement of the civilian population before the advancing masses of
the German army was a pathetic spectacle. It was a flight in terror and
distress.
On Tuesday, August 18, the German troops surged down upon Tirlemont,
a town twenty miles southeast of Louvain, around which they had been
massing for some days, presumably by rail and motor cars. The stories
which had reached the inhabitants of Tirlemont of the happenings at
surrounding towns and villages had not added to their peace of mind,
and soon the moment for flight arrived. All kinds of civilians set out
towards Brussels and Ghent for refuge. At times the road was full of
carts bearing entire families, with pots and pans swaying and banging
against the sides as the vehicles bumped over the roadway. The younger
women, boys and menfolk who had been left in the towns and villages
fled on foot. Priests, officials and Red Cross helpers mingled with the
crowd. This stream of unfortunates uprooted from their homes was thus
described by an eyewitness:
"These masses of broken-hearted people moved silently
along, many weeping, few talking. With them they brought
a few of their possessions, as pathetically miscellaneous as
the effects one might seize in the panic haste of a hotel fire.
Ox wagons, bundles and babies on dog-drawn carts or on men's
backs, bicycles and handcarts laden with kitchen utensils, all
mingled with the human stream. Here were to be seen sewing
machines, beds, bedding, food, and there a little girl or boy
with some toy clasped uncomprehendingly in a dirty hand;
they also knew that danger threatened and that they must
save what they held most dear. And even among these unhappy
people there were some more unfortunate than the
others--men and women who had no bundle, children who
had no doll. All the way to Louvain there flowed this human
stream of misery. Back along the Tirlemont road rifle firing
could be heard and entrenchments were to be seen in the town
itself."
These scenes between Tirlemont and Louvain were typical of those on
every road leading to the larger cities of Belgium as the inhabitants
fled before the approach of the dreaded Uhlans.
FALL OF NAMUR
On the afternoon of Sunday, August 23, the fortress of Namur was
evacuated by the Belgians, and the town was later occupied by the
Germans.
The fortress was said to be as strong as Liège and it owed its
importance in the present war to the fact that it was the apex of the
two French flanks. One ran from Namur to Charleroi and the other by
Givet to Mezieres.
Warned by their experiences at Liège, the Germans made most determined
efforts against Namur. From the north, south and east they were able to
bring up their big guns unhindered, and by assaults at Charleroi and
Dinant they endeavored to break the sides of the French triangle. Namur
finally collapsed but clever strategy enabled the French to fall back
upon their main lines.
The fall of Namur, nevertheless, was a decided blow to the allies. This
was admitted by the French minister of war, who said at midnight Monday,
August 24, of the failure of the "Namur triangle":
"It is, of course, regrettable that owing to difficulties of execution
which could not have been foreseen our plan of attack has not achieved
its object. Had it done so it would have shortened the war, but in any
case our defense remains intact in the face of an already weakened
enemy. Our losses are severe. It will be premature to estimate them or
to estimate those of the German army, which, however, has suffered so
severely as to be compelled to halt in its counterattack and establish
itself in new positions."
The object of the French triangle, having its apex at Namur, was to
break the German army in two. The British troops, as related in another
chapter, were cooperating with the French at Mons. When the Belgians
evacuated Namur the Germans had knocked to pieces three of the forts to
the northeast of the town with howitzer fire. Between these forts they
advanced and bombarded the town, which was defended by the Belgian
Fourth Division. Namur was evacuated when the defenders found themselves
unable to support a heavy artillery fire.
The Germans attacked in a formation three ranks deep, the front rank
lying down, the second kneeling, and the third standing. They afforded a
target which was fully used by the men behind the Belgian machine guns.
Some fifty or sixty howitzers were brought into action by the Germans,
who concentrated several guns simultaneously on each fort and smothered
it with fire.
DESTRUCTION OF LOUVAIN
At this stage of the war in Belgium an event occurred that riveted
universal attention upon the German operations. On Tuesday, August 25,
the beautiful, historic, scholastic city of Louvain, containing 42,
inhabitants, was bombarded by the Germans and later put to the torch.
The fire, which burned for several days, devastated the city. Many
artistic and historical treasures, including the priceless library of
Louvain University and several magnificent churches, centuries old,
were totally destroyed. Only the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), one of the
finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe, was spared and left
standing in the midst of ruins.
The Rotterdam Telegraf, a neutral newspaper, declared that in the
devastation of Louvain "a wound that can never be healed" was inflicted
"on the whole of civilized humanity." Frank Jewett Mather, the
well-known American art critic, bitterly denounced the act as one of
wanton destruction, saying that Louvain "contained more beautiful works
of art than the Prussian nation has produced in its entire history."
Thus when the first month of war ended, the Germans had made good with
their plan of seizing Belgium as a base of operations against France and
had arrived in full force at the first line of French defenses, well on
the way to the coveted goal, Paris.
But poor little Belgium, the "cockpit of Europe," ran red with blood.
SURRENDER OP BRUSSELS
_Belgian Capital Occupied by the Germans Without Bloodshed--Important
Part Played by American Minister Brand Whittock---Belgian Forces Retreat
to Antwerp--Dinant and Termonde Fall_.
After the usual reconnaissances by Uhlans and motorcycle scouts, the van
of the German army arrived at Brussels, the capital city of Belgium, on
August 20. The seat of government had been removed three days before to
Antwerp. The French and Russian ministers also moved to Antwerp, leaving
the affairs of their respective countries in the hands of the Spanish
legation. Brand Whitlock, United States minister to Belgium, remained at
Brussels and played an important part in negotiations which led to the
unresisted occupation and march through the city by the Germans in force
on August 21 and the consequent escape of Brussels from bombardment and
probable ruin.
At the approach of the German army the inhabitants of the capital were
stricken with fear of the outcome. When the Belgian civic guards and
refugees began pouring into the city from the direction of Louvain, they
brought stories of unspeakable German atrocities, maltreatment of old
men and children, and the violation of women.
"The Belgian capital reeled with apprehension," said an American
resident. "Within an hour the gaiety, the vivacity, and brilliancy of
the city went out like a broken arclight. The radiance of the cafes
was exchanged for darkness; whispering groups of residents broke up
hurriedly and locked themselves into their homes, where they put up
the shutters and drew in their tricolored Belgian flags. "The historic
Belgian city went through a state of morbid consternation, remarkably
like that from which it suffered on June 18,1815, when it trembled with
the fear of a French victory at Waterloo.
"In less than twenty-four hours the Belgian citizens were chatting
comfortably with the German invaders and the allegations of German
brutality and demoniacal torture dissolved into one of the myths which
have accompanied all wars.
"Neither in Brussels nor in its environs was a single offensive act, so
far as I know, committed by a German soldier. In a city of over half
a million people, invaded by a hostile army of perhaps a quarter of a
million soldiers, no act, sufficiently flagrant to demand punishment or
to awaken protest came to my attention."
SURRENDER OF CITY DEMANDED
Prior to the occupation the German commander had sent forward a flag
of truce demanding the surrender of the city. This was at midnight of
Wednesday, August 19. The Belgian commandant replied that he was bound
in honor to defend the town.
Brand Whitlock, the United States minister, then came to the fore. He
recommended to the commandant and to Burgomaster Max the unconditional
surrender of the city, pointing out how resistance might bring increased
misfortune on the citizens. But the military commander remained adamant
until orders arrived from King Albert consenting to the surrender of the
city.
Mr. Whitlock was later congratulated officially by the king for his
action. Undoubtedly he had a great deal to do with saving Brussels.
HISTORIC TREASURES OF BRUSSELS
The city of Brussels, thus occupied by the Germans, contains art
treasures that are priceless. The museum and public galleries are filled
with masterpieces of the Flemish and old Dutch school, while the royal
library comprises 600,000 volumes, 100,000 manuscripts and 50,000 rare
coins. Unquestionably the Brussels Museum is one of the most complete on
the Continent. A prominent historic landmark of Brussels is the King's
House (also called the Dreadhouse), an ancient structure, recently
renovated. Within its walls both the Counts Egmont and Hoorn spent the
last night before their execution, in 1567, by the hirelings of the Duke
of Alva, the Spanish Philip II's tyrannical governor of the Netherlands,
who, by means of the sword and the Inquisition, sought to establish the
Catholic religion in those countries. Brussels boasts another historic
relic known the world over--the equestrian statue of Godfrey of
Bouillon, who led the Crusaders to the Holy Land. It stands upon the
Place Royale, and was unveiled in 1848.
The magnificent Town Hall of Brussels would probably have suffered
destruction, together with the city's other beautiful buildings, had not
the government yielded without a struggle.
HEAVY WAR TAX LEVIED
General von der Goltz, appointed by the Kaiser military governor of
Belgium, levied a war tax of $40,000,000 on the capture of the capital.
Other cities occupied by the Germans were also assessed for large
sums, which in several instances had to be paid immediately on pain of
bombardment. It was announced September 1 that the four richest men in
Belgium had guaranteed the payment to Germany of the war tax. The four
men were Ernest Solvay, the alkali king; Baron Lambert, the Belgian
representative of the Rothschilds; Raoul Warocque, the mine owner, and
Baron Empain, the railway magnate.
BELGIANS RETREAT TO ANTWERP
After the German occupation almost normal conditions were soon restored
in Brussels, so far as civic life was concerned. It was speedily
announced that the Germans intended to regard the whole of Belgium as
a German province and to administer it as such, at least during the
continuance of the war. The Belgian army retired to the north within the
fortifications of Antwerp, where they were joined by French troops, but
desultory fighting against the German invader continued at many points
and the Franco-British allies soon came into contact with the advancing
German army.
THE CITY AND PORT OF ANTWERP
Antwerp is one of the largest, most modernly equipped and efficient
ports in Europe. It is only a short distance across the English Channel,
and is the head of 1,200 miles of canals in Belgium which connect with
the canal systems of Holland, France and Germany. On the harbor alone
over $100,000,000 has been spent and extensions are in progress which
will cost $15,000,000 more.
For the prosperity of Belgium, Antwerp is many times more important than
Brussels, the capital. While the country has an enormous amount of coal
and many factories and other industries, these would be of little value
without the imports which enter through Antwerp.
The city has about 360,000 inhabitants. Although located fifty-three
miles inland on the Scheldt River, it has natural advantages for harbor
purposes which have been recognized since the seventh century. Napoleon
looked over the spot and started large harbor construction.
[Illustration: ANTWERP AND ITS FORTIFICATIONS]
Ever since that time, according to popular belief, Antwerp has
encouraged commerce. Over eighty different steamboat lines use the docks
and quays. The passenger lines include boats to New York and Boston, New
Orleans, London, Liverpool, Manchester, Grimsby, South American ports,
Cuba, the Congo, East and South Africa and the far East.
In 1912 a total of 6,973 ocean-going vessels entered the port, and
41,000 other vessels.
Antwerp in 1870 ranked fifth in the ports of the world. Today it is
believed to be second or third. Ten years ago the freight received from
the inland was principally by the canals. Approximately 2,300,000 tons
were received by rail and 5,500,000 tons by canal boats.
This ratio has not been maintained, but the canal traffic now is much
larger than the rail tonnage. This gives an idea of the extensive use to
which the European countries put their canals, and the reader may guess
the value of the city at the head of the canal system to the Germans.
BLOODLESS CAPITULATION OF GHENT
Historic Ghent, with its quarter of a million inhabitants, was also
surrendered peaceably to the Germans, and again the energy and
initiative of an American, United States Vice-Consul J. A. Van Hee, had
much to do with the avoidance of tragedy and destruction.
Learning that the advance guard of the German army was only a few miles
outside the city, the burgomaster went out on the morning of September
to parley with Gen. von Boehn--in the hope of arranging for the German
forces not to enter. An agreement finally was reached whereby the
Germans should go around Ghent on condition that all Belgian troops
should evacuate the city, the civic guard be disarmed, their weapons
surrendered, and the municipal authorities should supply the Germans
with specified quantities of provisions and other supplies.
The burgomaster was not back an hour when a motor car driven by two
armed German soldiers appeared in the streets.
At almost the same moment that the German car entered the city from the
south a Belgian armored car, armed with a machine gun, with a crew of
three men, entered from the east on a scouting expedition.
The two cars, both speeding, encountered each other at the head of the
Rue Agneau, directly in front of the American consulate. Vice-consul Van
Hee, standing in the doorway, was an eyewitness to what followed.
The Germans, taken completely by surprise at the sight of the foe's grim
war car in its coat of elephant gray, bearing down upon them, attempted
to escape, firing with their carbines as they fled. Notwithstanding the
fact that the sidewalks were lined with onlookers, the Belgians opened
on the fleeing Germans with their machine guns, which spurted lead as a
garden hose spurts water.
The driver, fearing the Germans might escape, swerved his powerful car
against the German motor precisely as a polo player "rides off" his
opponent. The machine gun never ceased its angry snarl.
The Germans surrendered, both being wounded.
Appreciating that Ghent stood in imminent danger of meeting the terrible
fate of its sister cities, Aerschot and Louvain, sacked and burned for
far less cause, Mr. Van Hee hurriedly found the burgomaster and urged
him to go along instantly to German headquarters.
They found General von Boehn and his staff at a chateau a few miles
outside the city. The German commander at first was furious with anger
and threatened Ghent with the same punishment he had meted out to the
other places where Germans were fired on. Van Hee took a very firm
stand, however. He told the general the burning of Ghent would do
more than anything else to lose the Germans all American sympathy. He
reminded him that Americans have a great sentimental interest in Ghent
because the treaty of peace between England and the United States was
signed there just a century ago.
The general finally said: "If you will give me your word that there
will be no further attacks upon Germans in Ghent, and that the wounded
soldiers will be taken under American protection and returned to
Brussels by the consular authorities when they have recovered, I will
agree to spare Ghent and will not even demand a money indemnity."
The news that Mr. Van Hee had succeeded in his mission spread through
the city like fire in dry grass and when he returned he was acclaimed by
cheering crowds as the saviour of Ghent.
THE BURGOMASTER'S APPEAL
Blazoned on the front of the Town Hall suddenly appeared a great
black-lettered document. It was a manly and inspiring proclamation by
the burgomaster, similar to the splendid proclamation issued by M.
Adolphe Max, burgomaster of Brussels, just before the German entry.
He assured the inhabitants that he and all the town officials were
remaining in their places, and that so long as life and liberty remained
to him he would do all in his power to protect their honor and their
interests. He reminded them that under the laws of war they had the
right to refuse all information and help to the invaders; and called
upon each citizen, or his wife, to refuse such information and help.
Finally, he urged the citizens to remain calm, and stay in their homes.
"Vive la Belgique! Vive Ghent!" The proclamation ended in great capitals
with this patriotic cry.
DINANT AND TERMONDE FALL
But other cities and towns of Belgium were not as fortunate as Brussels
and Ghent in escaping damage and destruction.
Dinant, a town of 8,000 inhabitants, fifteen miles south of Namur, and
dating back to the sixth century, was partially destroyed by the Germans
in their advance on September 3 and 4. Early reports stated that a
number of the most prominent citizens had been executed, including Mr.
Humbert, owner of a large factory, who was slain in the presence of his
wife and children.
The Germans alleged that citizens had fired on them from the heights
about the city. They then drove all of the inhabitants out, shot some of
the men as examples, took the gold from the branch of the National Bank
and burned the business section. On September 4 the town of Termonde met
a similar fate. This town, 16 miles from Ghent, was fired in several
places before the Kaiser's troops passed on. They also blew up a bridge
over the River Escaut to the north, seeming to renounce for the moment
their intrusion into the country of the Waes district. Afterward they
directed an attack against the southwest front position of the Antwerp
army and were repulsed with great losses.
Describing the burning of Termonde by the Germans, a Ghent correspondent
said:
"By midday Sunday the blaze had assumed gigantic proportions and by
Sunday evening not a house stood upright. This was verified at Zele,
where there were thousands of refugees from Termonde. The Germans also
pillaged Zele. The suburb of St. Giles also suffered from bombardment
and fire."
A courier who knew Termonde as a flourishing town with fine shops,
an ancient town hall of singular beauty and a number of churches of
historic interest, found the place on September 11 a smoldering ruin,
except for the town hall and one church, on a stone of which he saw the
inscription "1311." These two structures were left intact, without so
much as a broken window.
Termonde was burned for much the same reason as Louvain. On September
4 a German force came back from the field after having been severely
handled by the Belgians, and the German commander, it is said,
exclaimed:
"It is our duty to burn them down!"
The inhabitants were given two hours' grace, and German soldiers filed
through the town, breaking windows with their rifles. They were followed
by other files of troops, who sprayed kerosene into the houses, others
applied lighted fuses and the town was systematically destroyed.
BOMBARDMENT OF MALINES
On Thursday night, August 27, the German artillery bombarded the ancient
Belgian town of Malines. During the bombardment many of the monuments
in the town were hit by shells and destroyed. When the artillery had
ceased firing the inhabitants of Malines were advised to leave the town.