CHAPTER I

=The Violation of Neutrality= 27

A. THE PRELIMINARIES 27

The Belgians' Distrust of Germany lulled--German Duplicity on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of August, 1914--The Ultimatum--The Speech of the Chancellor in the Reichstag.

B. JUSTIFICATION OF THE ENTRY INTO BELGIUM 31

C. GERMAN ACCUSATIONS AGAINST BELGIUM 36

Necessity of influencing Neutrals--Absurdity of the First Accusations--A Change of Tactics--The Revelations of the _N.A.Z._--1. The Report of M. le Baron Griendl, some time Belgian Minister in Berlin--2. The Reports of Generals Ducarne and Jungbluth--The Attitude of the Belgians toward the German Falsifications--Neutral Opinion--The Falsification of M. de l'Escaille's Letter.

D. THE DECLARATION OF WAR AND THE FIRST HOSTILITIES 50

The three successive Proposals of Wilhelm II to Belgium--Hostilities preceding the Declaration of War--The Pacific Character of Belgium--German Espionage in Belgium--The Mentality of the German Soldiers at the beginning of the Campaign--Letters from German Prisoners of War--German Lies respecting the Occupation of Liége--The sudden attack upon France is checked--The Disinterested Behaviour of Belgium.