Belgium in the Great War

In order to bypass the French army's defenses, the German Empire attacked neutral Belgium in August 1914. Despite the Belgian army's brave defense, Belgium and its King, Albert I, gained immense international prestige after the war. However, the country suffered executions, severe destruction, and the loss of its industrial infrastructure. The United States' food shipments saved Belgium from starvation. The war led to the introduction of universal suffrage and exacerbated the Flemish question, which had serious foreign policy implications.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 December 2018
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

In August 1914, the German Empire invaded neutral Belgium in order to outflank the defences of the French army. Unexpectedly, the Belgian army resisted and fought on, holding a small part of unoccupied Belgian territory north of Ypres, alongside the British and French armies, until the Armistice of 1918\. Because of their heroic defence, Belgium and its King, Albert I enjoyed enormous international prestige after the war. Its colonial army conquered part of German East Africa out of the Congo. Occupied Belgium suffered executions of civilians, severe destruction and was widely stripped of its industrial infrastructure, which was one of the most developed in the world. It was saved from starvation by food shipments from the United States which came in via neutral Holland. Belgium emerged from four and a half years of complete turmoil a different country and the experiences would have a lasting impact of its politics. Universal suffrage was introduced and the Flemish question was exacerbated. The war resulted in the abandonment of the country's neutrality policy and her claims for reparation and territory, only very partially met, were to have serious foreign policy implications.

Weight: 618g
Dimension: 241 x 164 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526716606