The story of the great war . t Liege, joined the road coming north from Alsace-Lorraine and passed on through Belgium into France by a great,broad, natural gateway without mountains or rivers to obstructan armys march. It was admirably equipped with railroads forthe armys use, and, because of the treaty of neutrality, was en-tirely unfortified by France. If the German army was to movein a hurry, it must march, and must march where the marchingwas good, where the roads were easiest, and the best time couldbe made. Belgium was too small to resist effectively, and, oncethrough Belgium, all roads
The story of the great war . t Liege, joined the road coming north from Alsace-Lorraine and passed on through Belgium into France by a great,broad, natural gateway without mountains or rivers to obstructan armys march. It was admirably equipped with railroads forthe armys use, and, because of the treaty of neutrality, was en-tirely unfortified by France. If the German army was to movein a hurry, it must march, and must march where the marchingwas good, where the roads were easiest, and the best time couldbe made. Belgium was too small to resist effectively, and, oncethrough Belgium, all roads to Paris were open. The invasionof Belgium was the only plan to consider from a military point ofview. THE CAMPAIGN ON PARIS 51 The Germans worked on a time schedule, determined by theaverage speed of men actually detailed in time of peace to walkfrom the German frontier to Paris. In four days the army shouldbe through Belgium; in six more it should reach Paris. Thatwas not more rapid marching than the Germans had repeatedly. Llllusiratton, Parts German Courtesy — 1914 done. If they could carry out such a schedule, they would in-fallibly be upon Paris before the French army could was also to be remembered — a very important and strikingfact — that by some misadventure they might not destroy theFrench army in the first fortnight and might be compelled tofight longer. It was important to compel the French to con-tinue the war at a maximum disadvantage. The Germans knew the French were not ready to fight and 52 THE STORY OF THE GREAT WAR that the continuation of the war would require an immense volumeof supplies which would have to be manufactured. Moreover,this very area, which the Germans would overrun at the outset,was the industrial section of France. Here were the most im-portant factories. Here were great coal and iron mines uponwhich French industry relied and upon which the French armywould have to depend. Assuming the invasions failure theGermans would s
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectworldwar19141918
