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.