erlin-Cologne-Brussels railroad to the environs of Liege. (Vol. II,
9.)

As a _coup-de-main_ this attack upon Liege failed. The forts resisted.
For several days Belgian field forces held the open spaces between the
eastern forts, and the first German troops suffered bloody repulses
and were presently compelled to pause until heavy artillery could be
brought up. Meantime German troops moved north of the city and forced
the crossing of the Meuse at Vise. Thereupon the Belgian field forces,
which had been defending Liege, retired, to escape envelopment. The
German army penetrated in the wide unfortified gaps between the Liege
forts and occupied the city of Liege on August 7, 1914. The forts held
out for another week, one by one succumbing to the new heavy German
and Austrian howitzers, which were making their first noise in Europe.
(Vol. II, 12-23.)

Meantime, behind Liege the German concentration was going forward, the
main mass of the German army was getting ready for its great drive on
Paris, while west of Liege German cavalry was slowly but methodically
driving in the slender Belgian field forces, which took their stand
behind the north and south flowing rivulets of the central Belgian
plain. Here were fought some of the minor engagements which filled the
press of the world in the early days, but had no actual value. (Vol.
II, 9-11.)

Early in the third week of August, 1914, the German preparations were
complete and one great German army under Kluck, crossing the Meuse
about Liege moved directly west upon Brussels, while a second, under
Buelow, crossed the Meuse about Huy, between Liege and Namur, and
advanced upon the latter place. Still a third army, under Hausen,
moved across the Ardennes toward the Meuse crossings southeast of
Namur, while a fourth under the Crown Prince of Wuerttemberg aimed
farther south through the Ardennes at the Meuse crossings in France.
(Vol. II, 25, 26.)

Before this torrent the Belgian army was swept with little or no
delay. (Vol. II, 27.) By August 19, 1914, it was fleeing back to the
intrenched camp of Antwerp. (Vol. II, 27.) Brussels fell on August 20,
1914 (Vol. II, 30), and on August 22, 1914, the Belgian phase was over
and the German troops had come to grips with French and British troops
along the whole Belgian frontier from Luxemburg to Mons. (Vol. II,
37.) So far German plans had worked about as they had been expected to
work, and at the end of the third week Germany was on t