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4 August: Difference between revisions
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==1914==
===Events preceding British Declaration of War===
*[[Great Britain]] protests in [[Berlin]] against German violation of Belgian treaty.
*[[Germany]] says French meant to invade Belgian territory, and she must take measures of defence. Violates [[Belgium]] at Gemmenich, early morning; burns [[Visé]] and attacks [[Liège]].
*Germany declares war on Belgium.
*[[Bona]] and [[Philippeville]] (Algeria) bombarded by German cruisers ''[[SMS Goeben|Goeben]]'' and ''[[SMS Breslau|Breslau]]''.
*[[Trieux]], near Briey ([[France]]). Taken by Germans. Speech by French PM [[René Viviani]].
*Chancellor [[von Bethmann-Hollweg]]'s speech in Reichstag, acknowledging they are doing wrong.<ref>From the Chancellor's speech: "...A French inroad on our [[flank]] on the Lower Rhine would have been fatal to us. So we were forced to set aside the just protests of the [[Luxemburg]] and Belgian Governments. The wrong – I speak openly – the wrong that we now do we will try to make good again as soon as our military ends have been reached. When one is threatened as we are, and all is at stake, one can only think of how one can hack one's way out..."</ref>
*[[Sir Edward Grey]] wires to [[Sir Edward Goschen]] telling him that unless satisfactory German assurances ''re'' Belgian neutrality are forthcoming, he is to ask for his passports.
*British mobilisation orders issued.
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