Chapter 5: The Teutonic Knight and the Gallic Barbarians
August 6, 1914, The Franco-Belgium Border: The advance elements of the German 1st, 2nd, and 3rd armies arrive at the border and begin preparations for the actual push across into France. Albert I has ordered the Belgian army to take up defensive positions at least five miles behind the border as proof of Belgium’s desire to not involve itself in this conflict. General Bulow will be prepared to move into France as of August 8th. Meanwhile advance scouting elements of all three armies begin to make aggressive reconnaissance in force of the border areas. During this time an incident occurs that will have implications for both France and Germany later.
A small village near the Franco/Belgian border: A German patrol enters the town shortly after sunset. After entering the town with no resistance the patrol hears sounds of screams from a nearby house. Approaching the house and carefully looking in the windows they see a terrible sight. Two young teenage girls are being held at gunpoint by four very obviously drunk French soldiers. The four soldiers are preparing for a “night of fun” with the two young ladies (read rape). One soldier speaks drunkenly of “these Belgian sluts want to prostrate themselves before the
Boche, let them see what a real man can do!"
Although under orders to avoid confrontation with the enemy at present, the captain leading the unit cannot stomach any more. Even as the French soldiers begin stripping the clothes from one of the young ladies the patrol bursts through the front door – passing the bodies of the parents of the two girls apparently shot dead by the French soldiers as they forced entry. Entering the bedroom, they shoot two of the would-be rapists dead and capture the other two. After ascertaining both girls are all right, they march the two French soldiers to the edge of town. There after a quick drumhead trial they hang both French soldiers from a tree with signs draped over their bodies reading “murderer” and “rapist” in French and German. Fearful for the young ladies’ safety the patrol escort them back to the border.
The incident is witnessed by several of the citizens in the town with varying degrees of sympathy both for the girls and the soldiers.
Within the day news of this incident will begin to filter out into the wider world. And as it does it will begin to grow in the telling of the tale. It wasn’t just four drunk French soldiers, it was a dozen, it was a platoon. It wasn’t just a family; it was every Belgian family who had a daughter in the town. Unwittingly four drunk French soldiers out for revenge and a night-on-the town have sown the seeds of the Gallic Barbarian which will be heralded in many a newspaper around the world.
London: Winston Churchill is closeted with Prime Minister Asquith. He is showing him a preliminary plan for Operation Gravelines. Churchill believes with four British divisions a naval force sailing up the River Schledt would be able to take Antwerp and force Bulow’s first army to double back to deal with a threat to the German left flank.
Asquith has not yet committed to war, but Churchill points out that German hegemony in Europe would mean disaster for Britain. Further, Britain cannot, go back on her treaty obligations to the French. A commitment must be made and soon.
Asquith brings up the fact that Albert I’s actions are those “of a man who above all else desires to save his country.” Would it not be better to let this matter play out between the French and Germans? Churchill again reminds him of England’s treaty obligations with France. “If we do not honor our treaty with our allies now, what nation will want to make any sort of agreement with us later knowing that our word is not worth more then the paper that agreement was written on?”
Determined to not give in Asquith points out that the River Schledt runs through neutral Netherlands. Would they not object to British forces sailing through their territory. It is then that Churchill makes what he will confess in his autobiography later to be, “One of the greatest mistakes I could have made in my time as First Lord of the Admirality.” Churchill says, “The Dutch are certainly not going to risk themselves nor involve their nation simply because we choose to sail through their territory. If Albert I would allow the German Army to march through his certainly the Dutch would have no objections to us sailing through theirs.
Asquith is still uncertain and wants to maintain a wait-and-see policy. But Churchill is pushing along with the hawks for a formal declaration of war. And he is gaining ground in the Cabinet.
