Hello everyone and welcome back to our weapons & the first world war series where today we are talking all about Big Bertha. Big Bertha was a German mobile howitzer that was named after the inventor Alfred Krupp's wife.
Big Bertha got it's name because it weighed in at a staggering 45 tonnes. She could fire a 2,200lb shell over 9 miles and so played a huge part in the German fight. Due to her size however, Big Betha had to be transported in sections by Daimler-Bentz tractors and then pieced back together again once in position. This usually took a crew of 200 men over 6 hours to re-assemble.
When war broke out, two Big Betha's had been situated just outside the fortress of Liege in Belgium, where they played a huge part of securing the town and surrounding area. This was an area that was fought over many times, with Big Bertha being right at the centre.
Showing posts with label Belgium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Belgium. Show all posts
Friday, 10 March 2017
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Railways & The First World War
Railways had been used for a long time before the first world war broke out and actually played a huge part in history in the days before the war broke out. It was the railways in neutral countries Luxembourg and Belgium that Germany wanted to use to get to France. They were told no but the Belgians knew that Germany would ignore this and so set about digging cavities, before filling them with explosives that could be set off with a moments notice. Added to this, derailed trains and emptied engine tanks were used to also block passages. At the beginning of August, German troops took over the railways in Luxembourg, with some travelling right into Belgium by train. Whilst sabotage efforts did manage to slow them down, it didn't stop them. In fact many of the explosives that had been placed inside tunnels failed to explode.
German troops set up Metz, which is now part of France, a huge station that would aid them in the war. It had a staggering eleven platforms and could receive anything up to eighty trains a day. A lot of planning must have gone into this war station because every track had two platforms, one which was to be used my troops and one which would be used for the loading of weapons and other supplies. This meant that trains could be loaded and unloaded relatively straight forwardly and with as little chaos as possible. What Germany really wanted was to get to Paris, the heart of the French railway. Here you could find two railway ring road tracks with lots of lines leading off of them that travelled straight to German boarders, but it was not going to be easy.
On the 4th August, Britain declared war on Germany and Lord Kitchener created a huge recruitment drive which successfully gained thousands of volunteers within days. Volunteers needed to get to training camps as soon as possible and usually travelled the distance by train. As well as this, 80,000 already trained soldiers needed to get to Southampton as soon as possible so that they could get across to France to begin the fighting. Train lines were already in place that went straight to the port key and it was estimated that they would get about seventy trains a day arriving, however they actually managed to get over ninety a day there and so exceeded expectations. The use of the railways and their hard working employees meant that over 66,000 soldiers managed to get across France just in time for the battle at Mons in Belgium. In fact Germany couldn't believe how quickly the British had managed to mobilise an army and get it across the channel.
At the same time, the French 6th Army had been transported, along with their supplies, by train to Marne, where they joined up with British soldiers and fought off the German advance. By this point, it was obvious that the Schlieffen Plan had failed and it was going to be much harder than the Germans had anticipated.
Lord Kitchener's recruitment drive not only hit unskilled workers but it also hit the railway workers with over 100,000 enlisting shortly after war was declared. Many of them were assigned to the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers due to them being highly skills. Their main role was to assemble and maintain the pre-made railways so that they could then get troops and supplies to the front. These pre-made tracks could be assembled along roads wherever needed, at a moments notice. The railway workers possessed skills that could be used at the front and so women were seen more than ever working on the railways. They had previously held domestic roles such as waitressing and cleaning however they were now undertaking harder tasks with some even becoming engineers. Although I would imagine the men too old or young to fight weren't happy about women taking these roles, they had no choice because at the outbreak of the war, the railways had become under government control for the duration of the war. They wanted to transport huge numbers of troops and supplies daily to help the war effort and they didn't care who was doing it so long as it run quickly and efficiently.
The railways also became hugely important when the wounded soldiers began to trickle through and was soon a steady stream as the war progressed. Trains were converted as hospital trains with beds or stretchers laid out instead of seats. It meant that as many of the wounded could be transported within one journey as possible, to get these men much needed treatment. The trains at Southampton were then responsible for transporting those soldiers so badly wounded, to hospitals and convalescent homes around the country. Without these trains, many of those men would have died of their wounds or of infection before they could be treated.
The hard work and efficiency of the railways and the workers helped us win the war for sure. Without them, our soldiers would have arrived at the front a little to late and would have had an uphill struggle to even create the trenches in which they were to live. Although there was still the matter of the shell crisis, it would have been a whole lot worse if we hadn't have been able to transport munitions to the front as quickly as we did. Of course it goes without saying that an army marches on its stomach and our soldiers would have certainly have died from starvation had much needed food not got to the front. One thing that is certain is that the railway helped Britain and her allies win the war.
German troops set up Metz, which is now part of France, a huge station that would aid them in the war. It had a staggering eleven platforms and could receive anything up to eighty trains a day. A lot of planning must have gone into this war station because every track had two platforms, one which was to be used my troops and one which would be used for the loading of weapons and other supplies. This meant that trains could be loaded and unloaded relatively straight forwardly and with as little chaos as possible. What Germany really wanted was to get to Paris, the heart of the French railway. Here you could find two railway ring road tracks with lots of lines leading off of them that travelled straight to German boarders, but it was not going to be easy.
On the 4th August, Britain declared war on Germany and Lord Kitchener created a huge recruitment drive which successfully gained thousands of volunteers within days. Volunteers needed to get to training camps as soon as possible and usually travelled the distance by train. As well as this, 80,000 already trained soldiers needed to get to Southampton as soon as possible so that they could get across to France to begin the fighting. Train lines were already in place that went straight to the port key and it was estimated that they would get about seventy trains a day arriving, however they actually managed to get over ninety a day there and so exceeded expectations. The use of the railways and their hard working employees meant that over 66,000 soldiers managed to get across France just in time for the battle at Mons in Belgium. In fact Germany couldn't believe how quickly the British had managed to mobilise an army and get it across the channel.
At the same time, the French 6th Army had been transported, along with their supplies, by train to Marne, where they joined up with British soldiers and fought off the German advance. By this point, it was obvious that the Schlieffen Plan had failed and it was going to be much harder than the Germans had anticipated.
Lord Kitchener's recruitment drive not only hit unskilled workers but it also hit the railway workers with over 100,000 enlisting shortly after war was declared. Many of them were assigned to the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers due to them being highly skills. Their main role was to assemble and maintain the pre-made railways so that they could then get troops and supplies to the front. These pre-made tracks could be assembled along roads wherever needed, at a moments notice. The railway workers possessed skills that could be used at the front and so women were seen more than ever working on the railways. They had previously held domestic roles such as waitressing and cleaning however they were now undertaking harder tasks with some even becoming engineers. Although I would imagine the men too old or young to fight weren't happy about women taking these roles, they had no choice because at the outbreak of the war, the railways had become under government control for the duration of the war. They wanted to transport huge numbers of troops and supplies daily to help the war effort and they didn't care who was doing it so long as it run quickly and efficiently.
The railways also became hugely important when the wounded soldiers began to trickle through and was soon a steady stream as the war progressed. Trains were converted as hospital trains with beds or stretchers laid out instead of seats. It meant that as many of the wounded could be transported within one journey as possible, to get these men much needed treatment. The trains at Southampton were then responsible for transporting those soldiers so badly wounded, to hospitals and convalescent homes around the country. Without these trains, many of those men would have died of their wounds or of infection before they could be treated.
The hard work and efficiency of the railways and the workers helped us win the war for sure. Without them, our soldiers would have arrived at the front a little to late and would have had an uphill struggle to even create the trenches in which they were to live. Although there was still the matter of the shell crisis, it would have been a whole lot worse if we hadn't have been able to transport munitions to the front as quickly as we did. Of course it goes without saying that an army marches on its stomach and our soldiers would have certainly have died from starvation had much needed food not got to the front. One thing that is certain is that the railway helped Britain and her allies win the war.
Sunday, 3 April 2016
Refugee's Of The First World War
The term refugee has been one of the most talked about subject of recent months as Europe struggles with the huge influx trying to get into Europe over the last couple years. However this is not the first time that Europe has had this struggle, especially in Britain.
At the outbreak of the first world war, millions of civilians from all over what we now know as Europe found themselves either fleeing or being forced to leave their homeland by force as a consequence of the hostilities. When Russia invaded East Prussia in 1914, over one million Germans had to flee. This had a knock on effect as when Germany then occupied the like of Belgium, Northern France, Poland and Lithuania, people that called these countries there home also felt the need to flee, after hearing reports and witnessing for themselves the brutality of German soldiers. When another country invades your homeland, the invaders expect you to automatically welcome them and fit into their beliefs and ideas. However throughout history, we have come to realise that this is never going to happy. At the start of the war, those countries Germany had invaded were very much divided but all fighting for survival. Neighbours and friends all to often became enemies. You had those who either wanted to be a part of the German ideals or were just too afraid to stand up and speak against them. You also had those that spoke against the German regime and the consequences could be fatal. Shortly after the Germans had entered Belgium without permission, stories filtering back to Britain told of German troops shooting innocent civilians including a tiny baby. This understandably caused widespread fear and panic enough for people to want to leave what had been their homes for generations.
The refugee's travelled to France, The Netherlands and England in a bid to escape the enemy where charities were set up to give aid to them and find them places to live and work. Even back then, the refugee's were closely monitored to make sure they were behaving and that none were the enemy in disguise. Local people in Britain offered a room to the refugee's and helped find them employment. However as the war progressed, some refugee's demanded better care and treatment which caused bad feeling between them and the British. The British thought the refugee's were being ungrateful and that they had no intention of going back home after the war had ended. After all, this was only a temporary situation for the duration, it wasn't meant to last forever.
By the time the war ended, most of the refugee's had decided to either go back home or emigrate to places like America. The was still some that did not want to return to Belgium, so both the Belgium and British governments pleaded with the refugee's to return home and even offered free passage home to them. By 1920 a staggering 90% had returned home. However, it was a very different home they had gone back to and one that would take a lot of time and money to get it back into a liveable country.
At the outbreak of the first world war, millions of civilians from all over what we now know as Europe found themselves either fleeing or being forced to leave their homeland by force as a consequence of the hostilities. When Russia invaded East Prussia in 1914, over one million Germans had to flee. This had a knock on effect as when Germany then occupied the like of Belgium, Northern France, Poland and Lithuania, people that called these countries there home also felt the need to flee, after hearing reports and witnessing for themselves the brutality of German soldiers. When another country invades your homeland, the invaders expect you to automatically welcome them and fit into their beliefs and ideas. However throughout history, we have come to realise that this is never going to happy. At the start of the war, those countries Germany had invaded were very much divided but all fighting for survival. Neighbours and friends all to often became enemies. You had those who either wanted to be a part of the German ideals or were just too afraid to stand up and speak against them. You also had those that spoke against the German regime and the consequences could be fatal. Shortly after the Germans had entered Belgium without permission, stories filtering back to Britain told of German troops shooting innocent civilians including a tiny baby. This understandably caused widespread fear and panic enough for people to want to leave what had been their homes for generations.
The refugee's travelled to France, The Netherlands and England in a bid to escape the enemy where charities were set up to give aid to them and find them places to live and work. Even back then, the refugee's were closely monitored to make sure they were behaving and that none were the enemy in disguise. Local people in Britain offered a room to the refugee's and helped find them employment. However as the war progressed, some refugee's demanded better care and treatment which caused bad feeling between them and the British. The British thought the refugee's were being ungrateful and that they had no intention of going back home after the war had ended. After all, this was only a temporary situation for the duration, it wasn't meant to last forever.
By the time the war ended, most of the refugee's had decided to either go back home or emigrate to places like America. The was still some that did not want to return to Belgium, so both the Belgium and British governments pleaded with the refugee's to return home and even offered free passage home to them. By 1920 a staggering 90% had returned home. However, it was a very different home they had gone back to and one that would take a lot of time and money to get it back into a liveable country.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
10th October 1914
Antwerp have surrendered, after German troops entered by force.
Antwerp have surrendered, after German troops entered by force.
Thursday, 9 October 2014
Sunday, 28 September 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
28th September 1914
German forces have started bombarding the forts surrounding Antwerp in Belgium.
German forces have started bombarding the forts surrounding Antwerp in Belgium.
Monday, 25 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
25th August 1914
German army begins a six week plundering of Leuven in Belgium. German troops have marched into France, pushing the French Army to Sedan. German zeppelins have bombed Antwerp in Belgium, killing ten people.
German army begins a six week plundering of Leuven in Belgium. German troops have marched into France, pushing the French Army to Sedan. German zeppelins have bombed Antwerp in Belgium, killing ten people.
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
24th August 1914
At the Battle of Bergen, German troops have defeated British and Belgium troops. German troops have occupied Namur in Belgium.
At the Battle of Bergen, German troops have defeated British and Belgium troops. German troops have occupied Namur in Belgium.
Saturday, 23 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
23rd August 1914
The Battle of Mons has come to an end with General Von Klucks troops beating Britain. General Von Hause has led the execution of 612 inhabitants in Dinant, Belgium. Japan has declared war on Germany.
The execution of those 612 innocent people tragically made history not just for the amount killed but because of the killing of Felix Fivet. At just three weeks old Felix became the youngest person to be executed during the war.
The Battle of Mons has come to an end with General Von Klucks troops beating Britain. General Von Hause has led the execution of 612 inhabitants in Dinant, Belgium. Japan has declared war on Germany.
The execution of those 612 innocent people tragically made history not just for the amount killed but because of the killing of Felix Fivet. At just three weeks old Felix became the youngest person to be executed during the war.
Friday, 22 August 2014
Life At War - Day by Day
22nd August 1914
The British and German troops have had their first encounter with each other in Belgium. The Battle of Charleroi begins led by General Von Bulows. The Battle of Ardennen continues. General Martos' troops have occupied Soldau/ Neidenburg in East Prussia. German troops have executed 384 inhabitants of Tamines in Belgium as their occupation continues. Von Ludendorff & Von Hindenburg have moved into East Prussia on their way to Russia
The British and German troops have had their first encounter with each other in Belgium. The Battle of Charleroi begins led by General Von Bulows. The Battle of Ardennen continues. General Martos' troops have occupied Soldau/ Neidenburg in East Prussia. German troops have executed 384 inhabitants of Tamines in Belgium as their occupation continues. Von Ludendorff & Von Hindenburg have moved into East Prussia on their way to Russia
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
21st August 1914
German troops have occupied Tamines in Belgium. The French offensive in the Ardennen/Sambre has begun.
That day was to become known in history as the start of the Massacre of Tamines lasting a further two more days.
German troops have occupied Tamines in Belgium. The French offensive in the Ardennen/Sambre has begun.
That day was to become known in history as the start of the Massacre of Tamines lasting a further two more days.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
19th August
The German Army has executed 150 Belgians by firing squad. A German fleet has begun trying to shell the English coast.
In the months and years to follow while Belgium was occupied by Germany, the civilians would witness such mass killings on a weekly and sometimes even daily basis. When Belgium was liberated, the true extent of damage became clear. The people of Belgium were taught by the German's that if they saw a German soldier, they were to put the hands above their heads to prove they weren't carrying anything dangerous and pled with the soldier that they were of no harm. Failure to do this resulted in being shot. However, many stories came out through the years after the war about how even if you did as you were taught, if the soldier wanted to they might still shoot you thus creating wide-spread fear throughout Belgium.
The German Army has executed 150 Belgians by firing squad. A German fleet has begun trying to shell the English coast.
In the months and years to follow while Belgium was occupied by Germany, the civilians would witness such mass killings on a weekly and sometimes even daily basis. When Belgium was liberated, the true extent of damage became clear. The people of Belgium were taught by the German's that if they saw a German soldier, they were to put the hands above their heads to prove they weren't carrying anything dangerous and pled with the soldier that they were of no harm. Failure to do this resulted in being shot. However, many stories came out through the years after the war about how even if you did as you were taught, if the soldier wanted to they might still shoot you thus creating wide-spread fear throughout Belgium.
Saturday, 16 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
16th August 1914
The German army has occupied the last fort at Luik. Gerneral Leman from Belgium has been caught. The Battle of Cer has begun.
Leman was to spend the rest of the war as a prisoner until his release when the war ended. He received a hero's welcome from the people of Belgium and died in 1920 aged 69.
The Battle of Cer was fought between Austria-Hungary and Serbia and lasted nine days. Serbia was to become victorious however they used most of their ammunition in the battle and so were left weak until aid was sent. At the end of this battle Austria-Hungary lost over 6,000 men dead, 30,000 were injured and 4,500 were captured and became prisoners of war. Serbia lost over 3,000 men dead, with a further 15,000 injured.
The German army has occupied the last fort at Luik. Gerneral Leman from Belgium has been caught. The Battle of Cer has begun.
Leman was to spend the rest of the war as a prisoner until his release when the war ended. He received a hero's welcome from the people of Belgium and died in 1920 aged 69.
The Battle of Cer was fought between Austria-Hungary and Serbia and lasted nine days. Serbia was to become victorious however they used most of their ammunition in the battle and so were left weak until aid was sent. At the end of this battle Austria-Hungary lost over 6,000 men dead, 30,000 were injured and 4,500 were captured and became prisoners of war. Serbia lost over 3,000 men dead, with a further 15,000 injured.
Friday, 15 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
15th August 1914
Dinant in Belgium has been destroyed by German bombs. Japan has joined the allies side in the battle for victory.
What people didn't know at the time was that Charles De Gaulle, later to become a popular man within France, had been injured in Dinant. Whilst recovering from his injuries in hospital, he spent most of his time working on tactics to help win the war. Charles was to survive the war and fight through world war 2 as well. He died at his home in 1970 at nearly 80 years old.
Dinant in Belgium has been destroyed by German bombs. Japan has joined the allies side in the battle for victory.
What people didn't know at the time was that Charles De Gaulle, later to become a popular man within France, had been injured in Dinant. Whilst recovering from his injuries in hospital, he spent most of his time working on tactics to help win the war. Charles was to survive the war and fight through world war 2 as well. He died at his home in 1970 at nearly 80 years old.
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
12th August 1914
France has declared war on Austria-Hungary. German 12"/16.5" guns have been firing on forts around Luik. Great Britain has declared war on Austria-Hungary. Russian troops have taken East-Prussia and have occupied Marggrabowa. The Belgium cavalry have been battling the Germans in Halen, Belgium.
The Battle of Halen took place between German forces led by Georg Von Der Marwitz and Belgium troops led by Leon De Witte. What resulted was a tactical victory for the Belgians. However, as with all battles from World War 1, the losses where high. The German's lost 150 men dead, a further 600 men wounded, around 250 men taken prisoner and 400 horses dead. The Belgian's lost 160 men dead and a further 320 men wounded.
France has declared war on Austria-Hungary. German 12"/16.5" guns have been firing on forts around Luik. Great Britain has declared war on Austria-Hungary. Russian troops have taken East-Prussia and have occupied Marggrabowa. The Belgium cavalry have been battling the Germans in Halen, Belgium.
The Battle of Halen took place between German forces led by Georg Von Der Marwitz and Belgium troops led by Leon De Witte. What resulted was a tactical victory for the Belgians. However, as with all battles from World War 1, the losses where high. The German's lost 150 men dead, a further 600 men wounded, around 250 men taken prisoner and 400 horses dead. The Belgian's lost 160 men dead and a further 320 men wounded.
Thursday, 7 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
7th August 1914
The French government has awarded King Albert of Belgium the Great Cross. French troops under General Bonneau have occupied Altkitrch at Elzas. The German army has occupied the city of Liege in Belgium. Lord Kitchner has published a poster saying "Your Country needs you" as more recruits are needed.
The French government has awarded King Albert of Belgium the Great Cross. French troops under General Bonneau have occupied Altkitrch at Elzas. The German army has occupied the city of Liege in Belgium. Lord Kitchner has published a poster saying "Your Country needs you" as more recruits are needed.
Wednesday, 6 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
6th August 1914
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia. Dennis Patrick Dowd Jr has enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, becoming the first American to fight in the world war. The French Cavalry has entered Belgium. A German Zeppelin has bombed Liege City killing nine people. Serbia has declared war against Germany.
Dennis Patrick Dowd Jr later went on to be a student aviator. Unfortunately, he was killed in an airplane accident on 11th August 1916.
The French Foreign Legion is part of the French army established in 1831. It is open for foreign nationals as well as French citizens to join as long as they are willing to serve with the French armed forces.
Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia. Dennis Patrick Dowd Jr has enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, becoming the first American to fight in the world war. The French Cavalry has entered Belgium. A German Zeppelin has bombed Liege City killing nine people. Serbia has declared war against Germany.
Dennis Patrick Dowd Jr later went on to be a student aviator. Unfortunately, he was killed in an airplane accident on 11th August 1916.
The French Foreign Legion is part of the French army established in 1831. It is open for foreign nationals as well as French citizens to join as long as they are willing to serve with the French armed forces.
Monday, 4 August 2014
Life AT War - Day by Day
4th August 1914
From the minute Britain were told Belgium had been invaded and war declared on France, they have been putting their faith in the Empire Brotherhood, that they will stand in and help win war against Germany. The British Empire covers a staggering 11,400,000 square miles of territory, reigning over 410,000 million people. These include India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, several islands in the West Indies and various colonies on the African Coast.
Britain needs the empires manpower, surplus food and economic strength to stand any chance of victory against Germany... Britain has declared war on Germany.
Without Britain's empire she would have had to admit defeat without a doubt. Apart from Britain's large naval fleet, the rest of her army were tiny compared with Germany. Britain's Empire stood by her when she needed them most and more importantly they kept her going all the way through. We therefore owe the countries and islands that were in the empire from 1914 - 1918 a huge debt and will be eternally grateful. On Remembrance Sunday later in the year, spare a thought for the people of the Empire that chose to help Britain gain victory. To those that were lost in Flander's fields, to those that sustained injury during battle and to those that stayed in their homeland working tirelessly to make food and other much needed supplies for Britain - We Salute You
From the minute Britain were told Belgium had been invaded and war declared on France, they have been putting their faith in the Empire Brotherhood, that they will stand in and help win war against Germany. The British Empire covers a staggering 11,400,000 square miles of territory, reigning over 410,000 million people. These include India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, several islands in the West Indies and various colonies on the African Coast.
Britain needs the empires manpower, surplus food and economic strength to stand any chance of victory against Germany... Britain has declared war on Germany.
Without Britain's empire she would have had to admit defeat without a doubt. Apart from Britain's large naval fleet, the rest of her army were tiny compared with Germany. Britain's Empire stood by her when she needed them most and more importantly they kept her going all the way through. We therefore owe the countries and islands that were in the empire from 1914 - 1918 a huge debt and will be eternally grateful. On Remembrance Sunday later in the year, spare a thought for the people of the Empire that chose to help Britain gain victory. To those that were lost in Flander's fields, to those that sustained injury during battle and to those that stayed in their homeland working tirelessly to make food and other much needed supplies for Britain - We Salute You
Sunday, 3 August 2014
Life At War - Day to Day
3rd August 1914
The Schlieffen Plan, that Germany have been drawing up since 1897 was being implemented. The plan, not known to any other nation, assumes that Belgium won't put up any resistance to German soldiers marching through and that Britain will stay out of the war that is starting. The plan states that Germany would like to be at war with both Russia and France at the same time. France, they believe, will be weak and will be defeated within six weeks of war, Russia, to be too slow in mobilising the army.
Germany have told the Belgium King and Government that they need to march they're soldiers through Belgium to defend themselves against an attack that is imminent from France. Belgium has told them that they will not grant them the needed permission as they do not believe there is a threat from France. Therefore Germany decides to attack and invade Belgium anyway.
The Schlieffen Plan, that Germany have been drawing up since 1897 was being implemented. The plan, not known to any other nation, assumes that Belgium won't put up any resistance to German soldiers marching through and that Britain will stay out of the war that is starting. The plan states that Germany would like to be at war with both Russia and France at the same time. France, they believe, will be weak and will be defeated within six weeks of war, Russia, to be too slow in mobilising the army.
Germany have told the Belgium King and Government that they need to march they're soldiers through Belgium to defend themselves against an attack that is imminent from France. Belgium has told them that they will not grant them the needed permission as they do not believe there is a threat from France. Therefore Germany decides to attack and invade Belgium anyway.
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