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The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12)

The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12)

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The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12) by 0

Chapter 1 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.

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.

BELGIUM AND THE FRANCO-GERMAN BORDER

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The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of 12)
1

Chapter 1 ATTACK ON BELGIUM

06/12/2017

2

Chapter 2 SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF LIEGE

06/12/2017

3

Chapter 3 BELGIUM'S DEFIANCE

06/12/2017

4

Chapter 4 CAPTURE OF LOUVAIN-SURRENDER OF BRUSSELS

06/12/2017

5

Chapter 5 COMING OF THE BRITISH

06/12/2017

6

Chapter 6 CAMPAIGNS IN ALSACE AND LORRAINE

06/12/2017

7

Chapter 7 SIEGE AND FALL OF NAMUR

06/12/2017

8

Chapter 8 BATTLE OF CHARLEROI

06/12/2017

9

Chapter 9 BATTLE OF MONS

06/12/2017

10

Chapter 10 THE GREAT RETREAT BEGINS

06/12/2017

11

Chapter 11 FIGHTING AT BAY

06/12/2017

12

Chapter 12 THE MARNE-GENERAL PLAN OF BATTLE FIELD

06/12/2017

13

Chapter 13 ALLIED AND GERMAN BATTLE PLANS

06/12/2017

14

Chapter 14 FIRST MOVES IN THE BATTLE

06/12/2017

15

Chapter 15 GERMAN RETREAT

06/12/2017

16

Chapter 16 CONTINUATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE

06/12/2017

17

Chapter 17 CONTINUATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE No.17

06/12/2017

18

Chapter 18 OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE

06/12/2017

19

Chapter 19 CROSSING THE AISNE

06/12/2017

20

Chapter 20 FIRST DAY'S BATTLES

06/12/2017

21

Chapter 21 THE BRITISH AT THE AISNE

06/12/2017

22

Chapter 22 BOMBARDMENT OF RHEIMS AND SOISSONS

06/12/2017

23

Chapter 23 SECOND PHASE OF BATTLE OF THE AISNE

06/12/2017

24

Chapter 24 END OF THE BATTLE

06/12/2017

25

Chapter 25 THE RACE TO THE SEA

06/12/2017

26

Chapter 26 SIEGE AND FALL OF ANTWERP

06/12/2017

27

Chapter 27 YSER BATTLES-ATTACK ON YPRES

06/12/2017

28

Chapter 28 ATTACKS ON LA BASSEE AND ARRAS

06/12/2017

29

Chapter 29 GENERAL MOVEMENTS ON THE FRENCH AND FLANDERS FRONTS

06/12/2017

30

Chapter 30 OPERATIONS AROUND LA BASSEE AND GIVENCHY

06/12/2017

31

Chapter 31 END OF SIX MONTHS' FIGHTING IN THE WEST

06/12/2017

32

Chapter 32 STRENGTH OF THE RIVAL NAVIES

06/12/2017

33

Chapter 33 FIRST BLOOD-BATTLE OF THE BIGHT

06/12/2017

34

Chapter 34 BATTLES ON THREE SEAS

06/12/2017

35

Chapter 35 THE GERMAN SEA RAIDERS

06/12/2017

36

Chapter 36 BATTLE OFF THE FALKLANDS

06/12/2017

37

Chapter 37 SEA FIGHTS OF THE OCEAN PATROL

06/12/2017

38

Chapter 38 WAR ON GERMAN TRADE AND POSSESSIONS

06/12/2017

39

Chapter 39 RAIDS ON THE ENGLISH COAST

06/12/2017

40

Chapter 40 RESULTS OF SIX MONTHS' NAVAL OPERATIONS

06/12/2017