[Illustration:—­From the Literary Digest BELGIUM—­THE FIRST BATTLEFIELD OF THE WAR

The map shows the more important railroad lines connecting the cities of Brussels, Antwerp and Namur and those of Northern France.  Paris is 200 miles by rail from Brussels and 190 from Namur.]

THE ATTACK ON LIEGE

The ancient city of Liege was attacked by the German artillery on August 4.  The town itself was occupied, five days later, but the modern forts surrounding it continued for some time longer to hold out against the fierce German attack.  It became necessary to bring up the heaviest modern Krupp siege guns in order to reduce them.

Amidst all the plethora of events which crowded themselves into the first few days following the outbreak of the war, none was more remarkable than the Belgian stand at Liege against the German advance.

The struggle round Liege bids fair to become historic, and the garrisons of the Liege forts when they looked out fearlessly from the banks of the Meuse on the vanguard of the German host, and took decision to block its further progress, proved their claim once again to Julius Caesar’s description of their ancestors, “The Belgians are the bravest of the Gauls.”

THE FALL OF LIEGE

News of the fall of Liege and the occupation of the city by German troops was received with great rejoicing in Berlin on August 8th.  Dispatches received at Amsterdam from the German capital said: 

The news of the fall of Liege spread with lightning rapidity throughout Berlin and created boundless enthusiasm.  The Emperor sent an aide-de-camp to announce the capture of the city to crowds that assembled outside the palace.

Policemen on bicycles dashed along Unter den Linden proclaiming the joyful tidings.  Imperial Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg drove to the castle to congratulate the Emperor on the victory and was enthusiastically cheered along the way.

PEASANTS AND TOWNSPEOPLE FLEE

Following the fall of Liege came a number of sanguinary engagements in northern Belgium; the unopposed occupation of Brussels on August 20, and a four days’ battle beginning on August 23, in which the Germans forced back the French and British allies to the line of Noyon-LaFere across the northern frontier of France.  In the northern engagements the Belgians gave a good account of themselves, but were everywhere forced to give way before the innumerable hosts of the Kaiser, though not without inflicting tremendous losses on the invaders.

The retirement of the civilian population before the advancing masses of the German army was a pathetic spectacle.  It was a flight in terror and distress.