there had been no invasion of Belgium by Germany, and
that Belgian neutrality was guaranteed by treaty. Within two days the
German guns were firing on Belgium; but when King Albert then called
upon France for protection, the response was that the French troops
which had been offered had been placed elsewhere. The regular troops
probably had. The new troops were not mobilized, and the French
transportation system, to say the least, had not been as responsive as
expected.

France paid dearly for her unpreparedness. Her richest provinces were
invaded by the Germans and are still held by the Germans in
considerable part.

Caught unprepared, there was only one safe thing for General Joffre to
do--let the Germans expand far from their base while the French
concentrated between the German border and Paris, to strike back at the
opportune moment against an extended and weakened line.

The march of the armies of Von Kluck--"General One O'clock," they
called him, and said his fiercest attacks were at one o'clock--is
considered a masterpiece of military precision. The strategy of
General Joffre which foiled him is praised throughout France.

The plan of the Germans was to hold the north of France with the army
of Von Kluck while the Crown Prince moved from Luxemburg straight to
Paris. This was theatrical, dramatic, and Kaiserlike; but the French
would not consent. They persisted in holding Verdun and defeating the
armies of the Crown Prince.

The English are the greatest fighters in the world in retreat, while
the French can fight best in a forward movement. The little
expeditionary army of England, originally 100,000 men but at this time
180,000 men, held the right flank of Von Kluck in the retreat from
river to river, from hill to hill, although pounded by 350,000 trained
German troops massed on this flank. This retreat put the stamp of
English bravery and dogged determination, as before, on the map of
Europe. Paris was open and exposed to any entry which the Germans
wished to make. The government had retired, the gold reserves of the
banks had been moved, the people in large numbers had fled.

Indeed, I may say what has never before been printed, that President
Poincare summoned the "architect" of the city to the American embassy
and, with tears streaming down his face, told him whence he must take
his orders in the future.

Then in a flash went the orders of Joffre along his whole concentrated
line of troo