Just across the Belgian border lay the little towns of Visé and Verviers, and these were the first objects of German attack and Belgian defense. Both were occupied after desperate resistance by the Belgians and Visé was partly demolished by fire in reprisal, it was claimed, for the firing by civilians on the German invaders. The subsequent bombardment and burning of towns and villages by the Germans were explained in every case as measures of revenge for hostile acts on the part of non-combatants and intended to prevent their occurrence elsewhere by striking terror into the hearts of the Belgian populace. Whatever the pretext or the excuse, the historical fact remains that the result of the German progress toward the Franco-Belgian frontier constituted a martyrdom for Belgium and gained for the plucky little kingdom the fullest sympathy of the civilized world.
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 Liège 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 Liège against the German advance.
The struggle round Liège bids fair to become historic, and the garrisons of the Liège 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 Cæsar'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: