The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-02-21

tlOIl 10 ME IdCl. III dIiSNeI II was CA
plained that the Krupps We're not quite
ready The guns had been made but
not tested. and it was NECESSARY to
await testing before shipment could be
made.
April passed and SO did tTe first half
of May. Then Belgium sent Il commits
sion to Germany to demand delivery.
The commission went to Essen, found
the guns finished and ready for ship
ment. and upon their inSiStent demand
that the Krupps should live up to their
contract they got the promise that the
guns would he delivered by the 1st of
June.
The guns were not delivered on June
list. Thereupon Belgium made visor
Gus protest to the Krupps and placed
the facts before the Geralan Govern
ment.
On June 26th the Arcliduke Ferdi-
nand of .fustria and his wife were as
sissinated at Saravejo. Immediately
uron news Of Chis tragedy Belgium
once more demanded the guns from the
Krupps. This time Belgium got an
Swer such as dissipated all doubt and.
at the same time. shocked her. 1t was
Il blunt refusal. e.
The Belgian ministry at once advis-
ed Great Britain and France Of the sit
ultion. At the same time, orders were
issued that We're designed to strength
en- the defenses of Liese and Namur in
every possible way and forces at these
points were recruited to tile full quota.
Secretly, too, orders We're given to
disnantle 30 per cent of the great guns
of the forts of Antwerp. in the great
est secrecy also these guns We're trans
ported at night from Antwerp to Ma
mur and Liege and were placed OH the
bases which had been prepared for the
Krupps.
On August I'd the ultinlatum came
from Germany demanding that free
passage through Belgium be afforded
the German army. With full knowl-
edge that the reply meant possible
death to Belgium. the King and cabi-
net made answer refusing the demand
and pointing out that III the treaty
pledging the nuetlality of.Belgium the
little, kingdom was comp9tled. even at
the risk of extinction ASIA nation. to
bar the passage of an invading army
Possibly Germany had not expected
such an answer. Probably Germany
didn't care. Germany knew the door
was open. Without guns the forts at
Lieye meant nothing. A few army
corps would sweep over them Niagara
like and then flow through the valley
Of the Meuse past Dinant and Namur
into France. or down upon Brussels
and then swing over into France The
schedule had been prepared. The ma
chinery was perfected. The whole pro-
gram had been laid out, not to the day
but to the hour.
With knowledge of the weakness of
Liege. the German general staff had di-
verted all siege guns to the points on
the French frontier where they would
| be needed to blast lane through
which the gray host might rush. They
wouldn't be required at Lege.
If you look at Il map of Belgium you
will observe that Liege is but short
distance from the German frontier.
The country thereabOuts is rugged.
| The Meuse wanders through Il narrow
valley tlanked on either side by hills.
| The valley is narrowed to the west Of
Liege. There are. or were, situated
the main defenses of the city. Then
the valley widens considerably in the
form of Il big bowl, only to narrow
again as it approaches the German
line. Within the narrow bowl is the
city of Liese.
While most of the forts, in fact all
the important forts of 14iege, are on
the French side of the city. there We're
a few forts in the hills near the Ger
man line.
To capture the city it was necessary
for the Germans to pass through the
rather narrow defile east of Iiege
But they might still be in peril if the
forts beyond were not overcome. for
these forts dominated the city.
With a horde Of infantry and only
light artillery the German army raced
up the Valley of the Meuse into the
defile east Of Liege. and into a hell Of
fire. Whole companies and gOodly
parts of regiments were wiped out by
mighty shells. 1t was 4 massacre
From songs Of eXpectant triumph mel
suddenly turned to shrek in agony OF
to drop i'll death. Charge after charge
was made into the narrow detile. but
only to add SO much to the slaughter
The light artillery was useless. II
reach the Belgian forts they burst
harmless against the great walls OF
concrete and steel. or. ut best, only
knocked off splinters here and there.
i Halted. driven back. dumbfoundet
by this surprising resistance. the Ger
| man commander advised the genera
staff of the situation. Without great
| guns to pulveriZe the forts it would b,
Il hopeless sacrifice of life to endeavOl
to carry them by storm. 1t was Of III
advantage to the Germans that the!
knew every inch Of Belgian territory
that they were as fully informed of til,
positions of the forts Of Liege as wer'
the Belgians themselves and of th'
strength of position and Of every pos
sible weakness. They had 10 he car
ried. but without great guils to bate
them down they might hold out in
definitely and every hour was precious
every hour lost UPSET the program =
many sixty minutes.
There. was eopsternatien ut Al. /