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. In this respect emphasis should be laid on the fact that
under these rules the hostile act of any civilian places him in
the same position as a spy. His recognized sentence is death by
court-martial.
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 Hôtel 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 cafés 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 paid in cash for everything ordered, and preserved
a careful 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 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 German officers insisted that sniping was
steadily going on, and the military authorities put into force their
threatened reprisal. The torch, or rather incendiary tablets were
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 rearguard 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
Aershot-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.
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