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^4 The Great War Bear In mind that the German Army of the Meuse, coming south across Belgium, would have on Its right the Meuse River, a deep, navigable stream constituting a natural defence to Belgium, from the French to the Dutch frontier. This nat- ural barrier was reenforced by three fortresses, Na- mur on the south, Huy in the centre and Liege at the north. So long as the barrier remained in Belgian hands the right flank of the Germans was exposed to attack from the Belgian Army reenforced by French and English supports, since the main trunk lines from Antwerp, from Brussels and from Northern France strike the Meuse perpendicularly and thus permit armies to be brought up quickly. Held by the Germans, on the contrary, the Meuse Valley constituted a right flank defence and screen. Behind it the German advance into France could proceed secretly and safely. Those who recall the Civil War campaigns will remember the facility with which General Lee, by using the Shenandoah Valley, was able to put his army into Pennsylvania without exposing it to any flank attack, to maintain his con- nections up the valley and to screen his operations behind the mountains. What the Blue Ridge Moun- tains were for him the Meuse barrier might be for the German offensive, if Liege, Huy and Namur were once captured. Of the three fortresses Liege was by far the most important. So long as the Belgians held it they

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