Guns of August Chapter Summaries
Sylwia Grochowska Period 3 Mr. Sauer 10/03/2012
TO WHAT EXTENT DID THE “ULTIMATUM IN BRUSSELS” INFLUNCE THE WAR? The ultimatum in Brussels influenced the war to the point where Belgians found it hard to keep their neutrality, and at the end it caused the British to get involved into the conflict. Germany sent an ultimatum to Brussels in which they demanded to allow the German troops to cross through Belgium. “If Belgium opposed Germany’s passage through her territory, the note concluded, she would be regarded as an enemy, and future relations with her would be left to the decision of arms. An unequivocal answer was demanded within twelve hours”(121). After considering the ultimatum, Belgium rejected it because she tried to avoid war. The Belgian government was aware of the fact that if they let the Germans pass through their territory, it would automatically ruin their relations with French and eventually lead to war. If Belgium accepted the ultimatum she “would be an accessory to the attack on France as well as a violator of her own neutrality, besides opening her to German occupation with small likelihood that a victorious Germany would remember to withdraw”(122). Belgium knew that either way she would be occupied, but she couldn’t agree to the German ultimatum since it would be such a loss of honor and respect. In addition to that, Belgium had a weak leader – King Albert who basically
TO WHAT EXTENT DID THE “ULTIMATUM IN BRUSSELS” INFLUNCE THE WAR? The ultimatum in Brussels influenced the war to the point where Belgians found it hard to keep their neutrality, and at the end it caused the British to get involved into the conflict. Germany sent an ultimatum to Brussels in which they demanded to allow the German troops to cross through Belgium. “If Belgium opposed Germany’s passage through her territory, the note concluded, she would be regarded as an enemy, and future relations with her would be left to the decision of arms. An unequivocal answer was demanded within twelve hours”(121). After considering the ultimatum, Belgium rejected it because she tried to avoid war. The Belgian government was aware of the fact that if they let the Germans pass through their territory, it would automatically ruin their relations with French and eventually lead to war. If Belgium accepted the ultimatum she “would be an accessory to the attack on France as well as a violator of her own neutrality, besides opening her to German occupation with small likelihood that a victorious Germany would remember to withdraw”(122). Belgium knew that either way she would be occupied, but she couldn’t agree to the German ultimatum since it would be such a loss of honor and respect. In addition to that, Belgium had a weak leader – King Albert who basically