Belgium, within a few miles of the Dutch frontier. It was under
the command of General van Kluck. He was a veteran of both the
Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, and was regarded as an able
infantry leader. His part was to enter Belgium at its northern
triangle, which projects between Holland and Germany, occupy Liege,
deploy on the great central plains of Belgium, then sweep toward
the French northwestern frontier in the German dash for Paris and
the English Channel. His army thus formed the right wing of the
whole German offensive. It was composed of picked corps, including
cavalry of the Prussian Guard.

The Second Army had gathered in the neighborhood of Limbourg under
the command of General von Bülow. Its advance was planned down the
valleys of the Ourthe and Vesdre to a junction with Von Kluck at
Liege, then a march by the Meuse Valley upon Namur and Charleroi.
In crossing the Sambre it was to fall into place on the left of
Von Kluck's army.

The German center was composed of the Third Army under Duke Albrecht
of Württemberg, the Fourth Army led by the crown prince, and the
Fifth Army commanded by the Crown Prince of Bavaria. It was assembled
on the line Neufchateau-Treves-Metz. Its first offensive was the
occupation of Luxemburg. This was performed, after a somewhat dramatic
protest by the youthful Grand Duchess, who placed her motor car
across the bridge by which the Germans entered her internationally
guaranteed independent state. The German pretext was that since
Luxemburg railways were German controlled, they were required for
the transport of troops. Preparations were then made for a rapid
advance through the Ardennes upon the Central Meuse, to form in
order upon the left of Von Bülow's army. A part of the Fifth Army