French plans to attack Germany through Belgium

[Kingfisher]

I've seen it suggested in a newspaper comment section that France had plans to attack Germany through Belgium. Of course armies have all kinds of contingency plans-they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't, but I'd be interested if anybody has any hard evidence on this.

I also read that British plans included an occupation of Antwerp.

[Hannover]

That wouldn't surprise me in the least. To this day there is still the biased view that Germany was the cause of WWI.

If you have sources it would be appreciated. Thanks.

- Hannover

[Kingfisher]

That wouldn't surprise me in the least. To this day there is still the biased view that Germany was the cause of WWI.

If you have sources it would be appreciated. Thanks.

- Hannover

No source I'm afraid, which is why I was asking. I don't even recall now where I read it except it was in a newspaper comment section and the poster gave no source. Just got me wondering. Might be complete nonsense, though I suspect that the various military contingency plans may well have included either a counter attack through Belgium if attacked from the German frontier or if war should break out between Germany and France's Russian ally.

Pure speculation though.

[Mortimer]

I've seen it suggested in a newspaper comment section that France had plans to attack Germany through Belgium. Of course armies have all kinds of contingency plans-they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't, but I'd be interested if anybody has any hard evidence on this.

I also read that British plans included an occupation of Antwerp.

I came across this online book originally published in 1915 by Alexander Fuehr which examines the claim of Belgian neutrality in 1914. http://www.jrbooksonline.com/Neutrality ... elgium.htm
It would appear that the Belgian government was no more neutral in WW1 than it was in WW2 - viewtopic.php?f=20&t=12153

[Mortimer]

I am currently reading Hidden History : The Secret Origins of the First World War written by two Scotsmen Gerry Docherty and Jim Macgregor. From Chapter 6 The Changing of the Guard pages 107-108 : "Historically, Anglo-Belgian ties ran deep. Queen Victoria was a favourite cousin of Leopold II, King of the Belgians, and Edward VII understood best how to close the deal between Britain and Belgium through him. The British government later cemented the relationship by allowing Belgium to annex that area of Africa called the Congo Free State. The quid pro quo was a secret agreement that was in everything but name an alliance. King Leopold II sold Belgian neutrality for African rubber and minerals, and Britain acknowledged the annexation of the Congo in return for military cooperation that continued in absolute secrecy from that point forward. Thus Belgium bargained away her status as a perpetually neutral country by entering into a military compact with Britain. The huge significance of this may not be immediately apparent but will become so when Sir Edward Grey's fateful speech of 3 August 1914 is thoroughly analysed".
I highly recommend this book !
https://firstworldwarhiddenhistory.wordpress.com

[Mortimer]

A series of video documentaries has been made based on Hidden History : The Secret Origins of the First World War. The first part is here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tclAbWvBt70

It mentions the principle players who conspired to bring about a world war namely supporters of Sir Alfred Milner.

[Mortimer]

Frederick Bausman, an American who was a judge by profession wrote a book published in 1922 called Let France Explain. He accuses that country of being the number one warmonger nation which was responsible for the outbreak of hostilities in 1914 primarily through its alliance with Russia. He also mentions that France was responsible for the outbreak of hostilities in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 which was not a popular thing to say during and in the years after WW1 because of the anti German hysteria of the time.
https://archive.org/details/letfranceexplain00fred