How were the British and French armies invited into Belgium in 1914?
Upvote:0
After the German invasion of Belgium, Britain, then France, guaranteed military support to the country.
They delivered on that military support by lining up units at the French border, crossing that border, and linking up with retreating Belgian defending units at Mons (British) and Charleroi (French). This occurred after the Germans had overrun most of the rest of the country.
Unlike World War II, there was no co-ordinated plan of defense prepared previously, so the Allied forces just improvised, and helped each other as much as they could to limit the German penetration. Between them, the Allies managed to keep only a small slice of Belgium out of German hands.
Upvote:2
The histories describe, for example, the Battle of Ypres as though the English and French were just magically transported into those areas of Belgium. What happened?
So what Pieter describes is the political mechanism though which the French and British Armies were allowed onto Belgian soil. However the second part of your question seems to imply How did they physically get there?, which I would like to address.
Transport and Supply in World War One
So I was actually unable to find where the BEF disembarked in 1914. But what we do know is that they arrived at the front 3 days after the declaration of war. The BEF participated in the series of battles known as the Battles of the Frontier, quite notably the battle of Mons.
My best guess is that the BEF disembarked in Calais from Britain and were then deployed in Belgium via rail. They then deployed from the railhead to fight the Battle of Mons before retreating. The rest as they say is history.
I'll elucidate in a bit after dinner.
Upvote:12
The so-called Scrap of Paper that was the Treaty of London (1839) committed the signatories to guarantee Belgian neutrality and independence. "by implication [it also] committed the signatory powers to guard that neutrality in the event of invasion."
Once Belgium refused free passage to German troops, and committed itself to forcibly opposing that passage, Britain and France as signatories of that treaty were committed to coming to Belgium's aid. Failing to do so would have been in violation of treaty commitments.
Britain in particular regarded the neutrality of Belgium as vital to the balance of power in Europe which had been the cornerstone of its foreign policy since the Glorious Revolution. Barbara W. Tuchman in The Guns of August outlines some of the efforts made by the British government in summer 1914 to ensure that the French army did not enter Belgium prematurely in reaction to German maneuvers.
The B.E.F. detrained in the vicinity of Amiens about Aug. 14, from whence it marched to concentration areas between Le Cateau and Maubeuge and thence into initial contact with the German 1st Army at Mons on Aug. 23. The great retreat to the Marne followed, in which the B.E.F. was to play a pivotal role. The final shape of the front in 1914 was the result of a northward "Race to the Sea" from the vicinity of Paris, with the B.E.F. always holding the leftmost flank of the Entente forces with an eye to future supply simplicity.
Upvote:18
There was no magic transportation, of course. France moved troops by land; British Expeditionary Force landed from sea, and then moved to Belgium during August 1914.
The relevant diplomatic documents are available in so-called "The Belgian Grey Book". Here is Russian edition of 1915. And here are English translations available online.
The events were as follows. Germany made ultimatum (also available in "Grey Book" under no. 20) to Belgium on the pretext of future French invasion:
The German Government cannot but fear that Belgium, in spite of the utmost goodwill, will be unable, without assistance, to repel so considerable a French invasion with sufficient prospect of success to afford an adequate guarantee against danger to Germany.
King Albert asked King George by telegram (no. 25) to make "diplomatic intervention... to safeguard the integrity of Belgium".
United Kingdom issued a diplomatic note (no. 28) stating that:
His Britannic Majesty's Government are prepared to join Russia and France, should Belgium so desire, in tendering at once joint assistance to the Belgian Government with a view to resisting any forcible measures adopted by Germany against Belgium, and also offering a guarantee for the maintenance of the future independence and integrity of Belgium
Finally under no. 40 on 4th August 1914 we have letter by Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs Davignon to British, French, and Russian Ministers:
Sir,
The Belgian Government regret to have to announce to your Excellency that this morning the armed forces of Germany entered Belgian territory in violation of treaty engagements.
The Belgian Government are firmly deterrmined to resist by all the means in their power.
Belgium appeals to Great Britain, France, and Russia to co-operate as guaranteeing Powers in the defence of her territory.
There should be concerted and joint action, to oppose the forcible measures taken by Germany against Belgium, and, at the same time, to guarantee the future maintenance of the independence and integrity of Belgium.
Belgium is happy to be able to declare that she will undertake the defence of her fortified places.
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