In 1914, Great Britain declared war on Germany to begin WW1. The pretext was that Germany had invaded the "neutral" country of Belgium. But was Belgium really neutral?
Germany first declared war on Russia after Russia's mobilization of troops near the German and Austro-Hungarian borders. In response, France AND BELGIUM ordered ordered full mobilization of their troops on their borders with Germany. Germany wanted to avoid a two-front war, and demanded that they stand down their troops. After they BOTH refused to stand down, Germany decided that it must end a war with France in the West before fighting the Russians in the East. Belgium refused the passage of German troops into France, which left the Alsace and Lorraine regions of of Germany vulnerable to French attack. Germany then declared war on France and Belgium and invaded both countries.
Fearing a German victory, Britain then claimed that an 1839 international treaty regarding Belgian neutrality gave it legal authority to declare war on Germany. This idea had previously been dismissed by the ruling Labour government, but the Conservative opposition cowed it into reversing its opinion after the German invasion. As a result of Britain's declaration of war, this European war was turned into a world-wide conflict.
Germany first declared war on Russia after Russia's mobilization of troops near the German and Austro-Hungarian borders. In response, France AND BELGIUM ordered ordered full mobilization of their troops on their borders with Germany. Germany wanted to avoid a two-front war, and demanded that they stand down their troops. After they BOTH refused to stand down, Germany decided that it must end a war with France in the West before fighting the Russians in the East. Belgium refused the passage of German troops into France, which left the Alsace and Lorraine regions of of Germany vulnerable to French attack. Germany then declared war on France and Belgium and invaded both countries.
Fearing a German victory, Britain then claimed that an 1839 international treaty regarding Belgian neutrality gave it legal authority to declare war on Germany. This idea had previously been dismissed by the ruling Labour government, but the Conservative opposition cowed it into reversing its opinion after the German invasion. As a result of Britain's declaration of war, this European war was turned into a world-wide conflict.
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