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THE STORY OF THE GREAT WAR
The War Begins
Invasion of Belgium
Battle of the Marne
VOLUME III
[Illustration: _King George V of Britain and King Albert of Belgium
inspecting Belgian troops. The youth is the Prince of Wales, and
beside him is Major General Pertab Singh of the Indian army_]
CONTENTS
PART I.--GREAT BATTLES OF THE WESTERN ARMIES
CHAPTER
I. ATTACK ON BELGIUM
II. SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LIEGE
III. BELGIUM'S DEFIANCE
IV. CAPTURE OF LOUVAIN--SURRENDER OF BRUSSELS
V. COMING OF THE BRITISH
VI. CAMPAIGNS IN ALSACE AND LORRAINE
VII. SIEGE AND FALL OF NAMUR
VIII. BATTLE OF CHARLEROI
IX. BATTLE OF MONS
X. THE GREAT RETREAT BEGINS
XI. FIGHTING AT BAY
XII. THE MARNE--GENERAL PLAN OF BATTLE FIELD
XIII. ALLIED AND GERMAN BATTLE PLANS
XIV. FIRST MOVES IN THE BATTLE
XV. GERMAN RETREAT
XVI. CONTINUATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE
XVII. CONTINUATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE
XVIII. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE
XIX. "CROSSING THE AISNE"
XX. FIRST DAY'S BATTLES
XXI. THE BRITISH AT THE AISNE
XXII. BOMBARDMENT OF RHEIMS AND SOISSONS
XXIII. SECOND PHASE OF BATTLE OF THE AISNE
XXIV. END OF THE BATTLE
XXV. "THE RACE TO THE SEA"
XXVI. SIEGE AND FALL OF ANTWERP
XXVII. YSER BATTLES--ATTACK ON YPRES
XXVIII. ATTACKS ON LA BASSEE AND ARRAS
XXIX. GENERAL MOVEMENTS ON THE FRENCH AND FLANDERS FRONTS
XXX. OPERATIONS AROUND LA BASSEE AND GIVENCHY
XXXI. END OF SIX MONTHS' FIGHTING IN THE WEST
PART II.--NAVAL OPERATIONS
CHAPTER
XXXII. STRENGTH OF THE RIVAL NAVIES
XXXIII. FIRST BLOOD--BATTLE OF THE BIGHT
XXXIV. BATTLES ON THREE SEAS
XXXV. THE GERMAN SEA RAIDERS
XXXVI. BATTLE OFF THE FALKLANDS
XXXVII. SEA FIGHTS OF THE OCEAN PATROL
XXXVIII. WAR ON GERMAN TRADE AND POSSESSIONS
XXXIX. RAIDS ON THE ENGLISH COAST
XL. RESULTS OF SIX MONTHS' NAVAL OPERATIONS
PART III.--THE WAR ON THE EASTERN FRONT
XLI. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THEATRE OF WAR
XLII. THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF RUSSIAN POLAND
XLIII. AUSTRIAN POLAND, GALICIA, AND BUKOWINA
XLIV. THE BALKANS--COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES
XLV. THE CAUCASUS--THE BARRED DOOR
PART IV.--THE AUSTRO-SERBIAN CAMPAIGN
XLVI. SERBIA'S SITUATION AND RESOURCES
XLVII. AUSTRIA'S STRENGTH AND STRATEGY
XLVIII. AUSTRIAN SUCCESSES
XLIX. THE GREAT BATTLES BEGIN
L. FIRST VICTORY OF THE SERBIANS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
KING GEORGE V REVIEWING THE ARMIES IN FRANCE
GREAT SIEGE GUN IN ACTION BRIDGE
DESTROYED BY THE BELGIANS AT LIEGE
BELGIAN FIELD GUN IN ACTION
FORTRESS TOWN OF NAMUR
CITY OF MALINES, BELGIUM
MACHINE GUN CREW IN A WHEAT FIELD
HEAVY BELGIAN ARTILLERY IN ACTION
BELGIANS INTRENCHED ALONG A RAILWAY
OBSERVER IN A RUINED CHATEAU
BAYONET CHARGE OF FRENCH INFANTRY
BRITISH NAVAL BRIGADE AT LIERRE
CITY OF LILLE UNDER FIRE
WALL FALLING UNDER SHELL FIRE
HOUSE-TO-HOUSE FIGHT AT YPRES
FIGHT IN AN ARGONNE VILLAGE
RALLY OF THE LONDON SCOTTISH
GERMAN LOOKOUTS IN A TREETOP
GERMAN PRISONERS IN CHAMPAGNE
LOUVAIN LANCERS ON THE FRENCH COAST
COMRADES AIDING A WOUNDED CUIRASSIER
RED CROSS DOCTOR DRESSING AVIATOR'S WOUNDS
NAVE AND CHOIR OF NOTRE DAME, RHEIMS
RUINS OF NOTRE DAME
FRENCH MARINES DINING ASHORE
SEARCHLIGHTS ON A BATTLESHIP
WALKÜRE, WRECKED AT PAPEETE
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIAN CRUISER
EMDEN AGROUND AFTER THE SYDNEY'S VICTORY
RESCUING SAILORS AFTER THE FIGHT NEAR THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
CANADIANS SHIPPING FIELD ARTILLERY
INTERIOR OF A SUBMARINE
WRECK OF THE BLÜCHER IN THE NORTH SEA BATTLE
LIST OF MAPS
BELGIUM-FRANCO-GERMAN FRONTIER
FRANCE, PICTORIAL MAP OF
BELGIUM, BEGINNING OF GERMAN INVASION OF
ALSACE-LORRAINE, FRENCH INVASION OF
BATTLE OF MONS AND RETREAT OF ALLIED ARMIES
BATTLE OF THE MARNE--BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1914
BATTLE OF THE MARNE--SITUATION ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1914
BATTLE OF THE MARNE--END OF GERMAN RETREAT AND THE INTRENCHED LINE
ON THE AISNE RIVER
LIEGE FORT, GERMAN ATTACK OF
ANTWERP, SIEGE AND FALL OF
FLANDERS, BATTLE FRONT IN
GERMAN AND ENGLISH NAVAL POSITIONS
WAR IN THE EAST--RELATION OF THE EASTERN COUNTRIES TO GERMANY
THE BALKANS, PICTORIAL MAP OF
SERBIAN AND AUSTRIAN INVASIONS
PART I--GREAT BATTLES OF THE WESTERN ARMIES
* * * * *
CHAPTER I
ATTACK ON BELGIUM
The first great campaign on the western battle grounds in the European
War began on August 4, 1914. On this epoch-making day the German
army began its invasion of Belgium--with the conquest of France
as its ultimate goal. Six mighty armies stood ready for the great
invasion. Their estimated total was 1,200,000 men. Supreme over
all was the Emperor as War Lord, but Lieutenant General Helmuth
van Moltke, chief of the General Staff, was the practical director
of military operations. General van Moltke was a nephew of the great
strategist of 1870, and his name possibly appealed as of happy
augury for repeating the former capture of Paris.
The First Army was assembled at Aix-la-Chapelle in the north of
Belgium, within a few miles of the Dutch frontier. It was under
the command of General van Kluck. He was a veteran of both the
Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, and was regarded as an able
infantry leader. His part was to enter Belgium at its northern
triangle, which projects between Holland and Germany, occupy Liege,
deploy on the great central plains of Belgium, then sweep toward
the French northwestern frontier in the German dash for Paris and
the English Channel. His army thus formed the right wing of the
whole German offensive. It was composed of picked corps, including
cavalry of the Prussian Guard.
The Second Army had gathered in the neighborhood of Limbourg under
the command of General von Bülow. Its advance was planned down the
valleys of the Ourthe and Vesdre to a junction with Von Kluck at
Liege, then a march by the Meuse Valley upon Namur and Charleroi.
In crossing the Sambre it was to fall into place on the left of
Von Kluck's army.
The German center was composed of the Third Army under Duke Albrecht
of Württemberg, the Fourth Army led by the crown prince, and the
Fifth Army commanded by the Crown Prince of Bavaria. It was assembled
on the line Neufchateau-Treves-Metz. Its first offensive was the
occupation of Luxemburg. This was performed, after a somewhat dramatic
protest by the youthful Grand Duchess, who placed her motor car
across the bridge by which the Germans entered her internationally
guaranteed independent state. The German pretext was that since
Luxemburg railways were German controlled, they were required for
the transport of troops. Preparations were then made for a rapid
advance through the Ardennes upon the Central Meuse, to form in
order upon the left of Von Bülow's army. A part of the Fifth Army
was to be detached for operations against the French fortress of
Verdun.
The Sixth Army was concentrated at Strassburg in Alsace, under
General von Heeringen. As inspector of the Prussian Guards he bore
a very high military reputation. For the time being General von
Heeringen's part was to remain in Alsace, to deal with a possibly
looked for strong French offensive by way of the Vosges or Belfort.
The main plan of the German General Staff, therefore was a wide
enveloping movement by the First and Second Armies to sweep the
shore of the English Channel in their march on Paris, a vigorous
advance of the center through the Ardennes for the same destination,
and readiness for battle by the Sixth Army for any French force
which might be tempted into Alsace. That this plan was not developed
in its entirety, was due to circumstances which fall into another
place.
[Illustration: PICTORIAL MAP OF FRANCE]
The long anticipated _Day_ dawned. Their vast military machine
moved with precision and unity. But there was a surprise awaiting
them. The Belgians were to offer a serious resistance to passage
through their territory--a firm refusal had been delivered at the
eleventh hour. The vanguard was thrown forward from Von Kluck's
army at Aix, to break through the defenses of Liege and seize the
western railways. This force of three divisions was commanded by
General von Emmich, one of them joining him at Verviers.
On the evening of August 3, 1914, Von Emmich's force had crossed
into Belgium. Early on the morning of August 4, 1914, Von Kluck's
second advance line reached Visé, situated on the Meuse north of
Liege and close to the Dutch frontier. Here an engagement took place
with a Belgian guard, which terminated with the Germans bombarding
Visé. The Belgians had destroyed the river bridge, but the Germans
succeeded in seizing the crossing.
This was the first actual hostility of the war on the western battle
grounds. With the capture of Visé, the way was clear for Von Kluck's
main army to concentrate on Belgian territory. By nightfall, Liege
was invested on three sides. Only the railway lines and roads running
westward remained open.
[Illustration: BELGIUM AND THE FRANCO-GERMAN BORDER]
* * * * *