'6o The Great War tioned at Cologne, reached this point on Sunday, August 2, for on Monday came the first reports of the violation of Belgian territory, preceded by a demand to be permitted to cross Belgium, made by the Kaiser upon the Belgian Government. The permission being denied and Belgian resist- ance assured, the invading force deployed rapidly until it spread out on a front of some thirty miles, its right flank resting upon the Dutch frontier at Vise, south of Maastricht, its left upon Spa and Stavelot, and its mass on the line of the railway from Liege to Cologne, which, going south, descends the Vesdre River to its junction with the Ourthe near Liege. Three possibilities had to be considered by the German commander of the Army of the Meuse. The Belgians might make no resistance. They might content themselves with a formal and insig- nificant resistance. Or they might in attempting to make a real resistance fail utterly because their mobilization was incomplete. In any case his neces- sity was to push on at top speed and endeavor to lay hands upon Liege, a strongly fortified town, be- fore it was prepared, and at the same time endeavor to isolate it by an enveloping movement, which neces- sitated crossing the Meuse at Vise. Plainly the brusque offensive was attempted and failed. Could the Germans lay hold of Liege all Belgium to the sea would lie open to them. As they were anxious not to fight in Belgium, but to