The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-11
The German Generals Hoped to
Initiate Napoleon.
MASSED TROOPS N CAAR6E
Did Not Remember Machin
Guns of the Defenders.
The Piles of Dead Grew Higher
and Higher.

oIuSSSl0b aug. 1A-1oou4CO Va N1ek --.-AAA
and Belgian soldiers that either fell or
were thrown into the Meuse river and
canal are now coming to the surface in
large numbers below Fort Pontain. five
miles northwest Of Liege. Here the
heaviest battle with the German Sew
enth army corps occurred. These ter
rible forts which exacted such heavy
toll of German lives are like great iron
ant hills. Guns project from above and
under them is a smooth metal approach
known as the glacis which the attack
ers must traverse in the final rush.
The guns and forts do not loom large
on the landscape.
The attack opened with a general ad-
vance on the forts. 1t was covered by
artillery fire but the artillery was not
heavy enough. 1t was not by big siege
greatest victories but by the sudden ap-
plication of mere masses. So the Ger
man generals had hoped 20 take the
L.ege forts. 1t was death in hay
stacks the Belgian soldiers said, in de-
scribing the spectacle.
| mans succeeded in gaining the glacis
under the great guns where they be-
| lieved themselves safe.
They did not remember that machine
guns awaited them after they passed
| from the zone of the great guns. In
moment he glacis was swept clean.
The piles of dead grew higher and
higher.
| Two Belgian cirmen rose above
Liege and flew back over the western
| forts. Both the German and Belgian
batteries opened fire, tho latter of
/ course acting under a msiapprehen-
sion. The shells did not reach the
nHH 1vvx SA ~
shock was SO great that the aeroplane
rocked giddily like a ship in a storm.
The experience was described by the
atrmen AZ absolutely nerve-racking,
and the. most appalling which the inn
agination could .conjure.
During Thursday night great bit
tie rain began to sfallsAn Aor1aalts.
Towards morning the ground was sat-
urated md it seemed that even nature
was hostile to Germany because she
could not bring up heavier siege pieces
through the deep mud.
The ain was terrible thing also
for the heaps Of wounded. making
| their succOr painfully slow.
Many of the German soldiers who
were found on the field only slightly
wounded asked for food before having
their wounds dressed. Some Of them
had fought thirty-six hours without
more than q biscuit or two
French view of the Situation.
| Paris. Aug. 1.-THE most decisive
week in t. European war has lust
| begun. If tie French and Belgian
| armies continue victorious during the
next seven days and England's fleet is
successful. Germany's doom is sealed.
On the other hand. German successes
would have the effect Of prolongfnR
the war without decisive effect on
the ultimate outcome.
Germany's strategic plan as far as
Lfege is concerned is not altered.
Regiment after regiment is pouring
INTO the lines from Cologne and
: Coblenz to storm the gallant Belgian
| forts.
But what was difficult five days ago
mas been rendered practically impos-
sible now by the tremendous activity
Of $4,000 skilled civilians during the
last thirty hours in strengthening
Liege's defense works and by the an
| parent massing of the French ana
British troops to the westward OF
Liege.
| Reports from the scene OF conflict
differ here tonight but assuming that
the Germans should overpower Liege
oy their overwhelming numbers and
at the expense Of an incalculable
waste of lives or have already done 40.
the kaiser's legions must encounter
in great battle the coalition of forces
somewhere between Namur and Brus-
sells. probably on the field Of Waterloo.
Meanwhile with the tremendous
spur given the French army by the oc-
cupatton of Southern Alsace. the
whole force now is advancing towards
German territory where the first great
impact of the main armies is expected.
The triangle between Coblentz,
Namur and Toul more than likely
will be the scene of this epic battle.
At the same time the victorious
French legion that first entered Alsace
through the gap Of Belfort will prob
ably be reinforced by troops from
Epinal and make a desperate effort
to capture Strassburg.
The attitude Of the whole French
nation continues in a tone of dignffied
confidence and the French victories in
Alsace are not 0vervalued. A tenn
porary check would cause no surprise
nor would it shake Frances firm con-
ffdence in ultimate triumph.