Both in WWI and WWII Belgium, for better or worse, has often been on the short end of the stick. Much of WWI was fought on Belgian soil, and in WWII the whole country was conquered by the blitzkrieg.
Now, is there any way to beef up the Belgian military prior to WWI, to the point where Germany might think twice or thrice about using the Schlieffen Plan? I doubt that Belgium could ever manage to build a military to rival France, Germany, or the UK, but could a strong, revamped Belgian army and an alliance with the UK possibly suffice?
What would the effects be? IIRC the French and Belgians didn't get along too well before WWI, so how would the French feel about the Belgians arming?
Now, is there any way to beef up the Belgian military prior to WWI, to the point where Germany might think twice or thrice about using the Schlieffen Plan? I doubt that Belgium could ever manage to build a military to rival France, Germany, or the UK, but could a strong, revamped Belgian army and an alliance with the UK possibly suffice?
What would the effects be? IIRC the French and Belgians didn't get along too well before WWI, so how would the French feel about the Belgians arming?