CAPTURE OF LOUVAIN--SURRENDER OF BRUSSELS
During August 17, 1914, the German center was hurled forward in
irresistible strength. The citizens of the villages in its path fled
precipitously along the roads to Brussels. At intersections all kinds of
vehicles bearing household effects, together with live stock, blocked
the way to safety. The uhlan had become a terror, but not without some
provocation. Tirlemont was bombarded, reduced, and evacuated by the
Belgian troops. The latter made a vigorous defensive immediately before
Louvain, but their weakness in artillery and numbers could not withstand
the overwhelming superiority of the Germans. They were thrust back from
the valley of the Dyle to begin their retreat on Antwerp, chiefly by way
of Malines. This was to elude a successful German envelopment on their
Louvain right. They retired in good order, but their losses had been
considerable.
This body was the Belgian right wing, which fell back to take up a
position before Louvain. Here it fought a well-sustained action on
August 19, 1914, the purpose of which was to cover the retreat of the
main army by way of Malines on Antwerp. The Belgian right wing thus
became a rear guard.
It withstood the German attack until the early morning of August 20,
1914, when, separated from the main body, the overpowering number of
German guns and men drove it back to a final stand between Louvain and
Brussels. If its losses had been heavy, the carrying away of the wounded
proved that it still maintained a fighting front. The retreat of the
main army on Antwerp was part of Brialmont's plan for the defense of
Belgium, since the position of Brussels was not capable of a strong
defense. By this time the main army was safely passing down the valley
of the Dyle to the shelter of the Antwerp forts, leaving the right wing
to its fate. Louvain thus fell to the Germans.
Toward noon of August 20, 1914, the burgomaster and four sheriffs
awaited at one of the city gates, the first German appearance. This
proved to be a party of hussars bearing a white flag. They conducted the
burgomaster to the waiting generals at the head of the advance column.
In token of surrender the burgomaster was requested to remove his scarf
of office, displaying the Belgian national colors. The German terms were
then pronounced. A free passage of troops through the city was to be
granted, and 3,000 men garrisoned in its barracks. In return, cash was
to be paid for all supplies requisitioned, and a guarantee given for the
lives and property of the inhabitants. The Germans further agreed to
maintain the established civil power, but warned that hostile acts by
civilians would be severely punished. These terms were in general in
conformity with the rules of war governing the military occupation of an
enemy city. The Germans put forward the claim that the hostile act of
any civilian places him in the same position as a spy, to be punished by
death.
The Germans entered Louvain with bands playing, and singing in a great
swelling chorus: "Die Wacht am Rhein" and "Hail to the War Lord." They
marched to quick time, but in passing through the great square of the
Gare du Nord broke into the parade goose step. In the van were such
famous regiments as the Death's Head and Zeiten Hussars. The infantry
wore heavy boots, which, falling in unison, struck the earth with
resounding blows, to echo back from the house walls. Thus cavalry,
infantry, and artillery poured through Louvain in a gray-green surge of
hitherto unimagined military might. This, for the latter part of the
20th and the day following.
At first the citizens looked on from the sidewalks in a spellbound
silence. Scarcely one seemed to possess the incentive to breathe a
whisper. Only the babies and very small children regarded the
awe-inspiring spectacle as something provided by way of entertainment.
For the rest of the citizens it was dumbfounding beyond human
comprehension. Cavalry, infantry, and artillery rolled on unceasingly to
the clatter of horses' hoofs, the tramp of feet, the rumble of guns, and
that triumphant mighty chorus. There was nothing of aforetime plumed and
gold-laced splendor of war about it, but the modern Teutonic arms on
grim business bent. Except for a curious glance bestowed here and there,
the German troops marched with eyes front, and a precision as if being
reviewed by the emperor. A few shots were heard to stir instant terror
among the citizen onlookers, but these were between the German advance
guard and Belgian stragglers left behind in the city. Presently the side
streets became dangerous to pedestrians from onrushing automobiles
containing staff officers, and motor wagons of the military train.
General von Arnim, in command, ordered the hauling down of all allied
colors, but permitted the Belgian flag to remain flying above the Hotel
de Ville. He promptly issued a proclamation warning all citizens to
preserve the peace. It was both placarded and announced verbally. The
latter was performed by a minor city official, ringing a bell as he
passed through the streets accompanied by policemen.
Toward evening of August 20, 1914, the cafes and restaurants filled up
with hungry German officers and men; every hotel room was occupied, and
provision shops speedily sold out the stores on their shelves. The
Germans at first paid in cash for everything ordered, and preserved an
attitude of nonaggression toward the citizens. But subconsciously there
ran an undercurrent of dread insecurity. At the outset a German officer
was said to have been struck by a sniper's bullet. Somewhat
conspicuously the wounded officer was borne on a litter through the
streets, followed by the dead body of his assailant. Very promptly a
news curtain was drawn down around the city, cutting it off from all
information of the world without. Artillery fire was heard. Presumably
this came from the last stand of the Belgian rear guard in a valley of
the hilly country between Louvain and Brussels. With sustained optimism
to the end, rumor had it that the artillery fire was that of French and
British guns coming to the relief of Louvain. Toward nightfall one or
two groups of alleged snipers were brought in from the suburbs and
marched to the place of execution.
The feeling of a threatened calamity deepened. Another warning
proclamation was issued ordering all citizens to give up their arms.
Further, everyone was ordered to bed at eight o'clock, all windows were
to be closed and all doors unlocked. A burning lamp was to be placed in
each window. On the claim that German soldiers had been killed by
citizens, the burgomaster and several of the city officials were secured
as hostages. A stern proclamation was issued threatening with immediate
execution every citizen found with a weapon in his possession or house.
Every house from which a shot was fired would be burned.
This was on August 22, 1914. By the evening of that day the German army
had passed through Louvain, estimated to the number of 50,000 men. Only
the 3,000 garrison remained in the city. Outwardly, the citizens resumed
their usual daily affairs as if with a sense of relief, but whispers
dropped now and then revealed an abiding terror beneath. Some time
during the next day or two the anticipated calamity fell upon Louvain.
The Germans without any proof insisted that sniping was going on, and
the military authorities seized this pretext to put into force their
threatened reprisal. The torch was thrown into convicted houses. Larger
groups of citizens were led to execution. Thereupon the "brute" passion
dormant in soldiers broke the bonds of discipline. Flames burst forth
everywhere. Beneath the lurid glow cast upon the sky above Louvain whole
streets stood out in blackened ruin, and those architectural treasures
of the Halles and the University, with its famous library, were
destroyed beyond hope of repair. Only the walls of St. Peter's Church,
containing many priceless paintings, remained.
Meanwhile, on the morning of August 20, 1914, the German army had swept
away the comparatively small Belgian rear-guard force before Brussels,
and advanced upon the capital. On the previous 17th the King of the
Belgians removed his Government to Antwerp. The diplomatic corps
followed. Mr. Brand Whitlock, the American Minister, however, remained.
In his capacity as a neutral he had assisted stranded Germans in
Brussels from hasty official and mob peril. He stayed to perform a
similar service for the Belgians and Allies. His success in these
efforts won for him German respect and the gratitude of the whole
Belgian nation.
A lingering plan for defending Brussels by throwing up barricades and
constructing wire entanglements, to be manned by the Civic Guard, was
abandoned in the face of wiser counsel. It would merely have resulted in
a bombardment, with needless destruction of life and property. Brussels
was defenseless.
In flight before the German host, refugees of all classes were streaming
into Brussels--young and old, rich and poor, priest and layman. Nearly
all bore some burden of household treasure, many some pathetically
absurd family heirloom. Every kind of vehicle appeared to have been
called into use, from smart carriages drawn by heavy Flemish horses to
little carts harnessed to dogs. Over all reigned a stupefied silence,
broken only by shuffling footfalls. Among them the absence of
automobiles and light horses would indicate all such had been
commandeered by the Belgian military authorities. Their cavalry was
badly in need of good light-weight mounts. At crossroads passage to
imagined safety was blocked by farm live stock driven by bewildered
peasants.
On Thursday morning, August 20, 1914, the burgomaster motored forth to
meet the Germans. His reception and the terms dictated by General von
Arnim were almost identically the same as at Louvain. The burgomaster
was perforce compelled to accept. The scene of the entry of the German
troops into Louvain was repeated at Brussels. There was the same
stolidly silent-packed gathering of onlookers on the sidewalks, the same
thundering triumphant march of the German host. Corps after corps,
probably of those who had fought at Liege, and subsequently passed
around the city on the grand sweep toward the French frontier. Moreover,
huge bodies of German troops were advancing up the valley of the Meuse
and through the woods of the Ardennes. As in Louvain, that night the
hotels, restaurants, cafes, and shops of Brussels were patronized by a
rush of trade which never before totaled such extent in a single day.
Bills of purchase were settled by the Germans in cash. The city was
promptly assessed a war indemnity of $40,000,000.
With the fall of Brussels, the first objective of the Germans may be
said to have been gained. But the right wing of Von Kluck's army was
still operating northward upon Antwerp. The Belgian army had escaped him
within the circle of Antwerp's forts, so that he detailed a force deemed
to be sufficient to hold the enemy secure. Then he struck eastward
between Antwerp and Brussels at Alost, Ghent, and Bruges. In his advance
he swept several divisions of cavalry, also motor cars bearing machine
guns. Beyond Bruges his patrol caught their first glimpse of the North
Sea, drawing in toward another much-hoped-for goal on the English
Channel.
But the Belgian army within security of Antwerp had not been routed. It
had retreated in good order, thanks to the resistance of its right-wing
rear guard. General de Moranville promptly reenforced it with new
volunteers to the extent of some 125,000 men. In addition, he drew upon
a fresh supply of ammunition, and new artillery well horsed. His
cavalry, however, were certainly no better and probably worse than that
with which his army had been complemented originally.
On August 23, 1914, obtaining information that the Germans were in
considerably inferior force at Malines, the Belgians began a vigorous
counteroffensive. General de Moranville drove the Germans out of Malines
on the day following. That was in the nature of a master stroke, for it
gave the Belgians control of the shortest railway from Germany into West
Flanders. Further, since Von Kluck had reached Bruges, and
reenforcements under General von Boehn had passed across the Belgian
direct line on Brussels, the great German right wing was in danger of
being caught in a trap. Von Boehn, therefore, was hurriedly detached
rearward to deal with the Belgian counteroffensive. But this deprived
Von Kluck of his needed reenforcements to overcome 2,000 British marines
landed at Ostend, that, together with the Civic Guard, had beaten back
German patrols from the place. Had the British now landed an army at
Ostend, Von Kluck, between the Belgian and British forces, would have
been in serious danger of annihilation. With the German right wing thus
crumpled, the whole of their offensive would have broken down. But the
British did not come, and so the Belgians were left to fight it out
single handed. This fighting went on for three weeks, with accurate
details lacking. Mainly it was upon the line Aerschot-Dyle
Valley-Termonde, with Antwerp for the Belgian base.
On August 24, 1914, a German Zeppelin sailed over Antwerp and dropped a
number of bombs. The Belgians thrust their right wing forward and
recaptured Alost. They advanced their center to a siege of Cortenburg.
Malines seemed secure. To the Belgians this was a historic triumph.
Famous for its manufacture of lace under the name of Mechlin, almost
every street contained some relic of architectural interest. The
Cathedral of St. Rombaut, the seat of a cardinal archbishop, held upon
its walls some of Van Dyck's masterpieces. Margaret of Austria had held
court in its Palais de Justice.
In this emergency, Von Boehn was heavily reenforced with the Third Army
Corps, reserves from the south, and 15,000 sailors and marines. His army
was now between 250,000 and 300,000 men. This placed overwhelming odds
against the Belgians. But for four days they fought a stubborn battle at
Weerde.
This was from September 13 to 16, 1914, and resulted in the capture of
the Louvain-Malines railway by the Germans. The Belgians had now fought
to the extremity of what could be expected without aid from the Allies.
The sole action left for them was to fall back for a defense of Antwerp.
Von Kluck's right wing of the whole German offensive had completed its
task on Belgian soil.