The Invasion and the War in Belgium

[Dikke Bertha]

Hello

I have just finished reading this book which is excellent stuff!

It was written by a Belgian and published during the war and although it is very jingoistic it is ceratinly packed with detail. This book often appears in bibliographies and is a quoted reference work.

Does anybody have any views on this book.

Does anybody know of any other good books on the invasion of belgium in 1914?

Regards

[Matthew King]

Hi

Out of interest I was wondering if there was any mention in the book about the first flight over Brussels after the Germans left. My Grandfather

Sgt Regnald Leslie Gorden White of 48 Squadron was supposibly awarded either the Croix De Guerre Avec Palms or the Medaille Militaire for doing this in a Bristol F2b

Thanks

Matt

[salientpoints]

There is a new book coming out called "The Rape of Belgium: The Untold Story of World War I"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...1819292-7044414

Ryan

[Dikke Bertha]

Dear Matt

I am sorry but there is no reference to any fights over Brussels. It deals only with the invasion of Belgium in 1914.

Dear Ryan,

Thank you for this reference. I did not know that this book was coming out. Although if interest it does not deal with the invasion from a military viewpoint.

While I thank you both for your contributions, I am hoping that somebodywill have a view on the reliability of the book or can suggest other titles dealing with the military aspect if the invasion.

Regards

Dikke Bertha

[andigger]

Dikke Bertha... I think you also commented on The Rape of Belgium in another thread as being a hard read. Would you recommend 'The Invasion..." as the better book?

Andy

[armourersergeant]

Having not read this book i can not comment individuallly about this book, but in general i do often wonder how 'accurate' the information and opinions in a book printed during the conflict can be. Due to political pressure and patriotic sentiments it can hardly be a peice of critical judgement. My rule of thumb in cases like this is any book written about the war before 1930 ish I treat with a sense of accurate but biasised.

That said and to contradict I often take info from these sources and quote them or use it in my work. Smith-Dorriens papers etc being a case in point.

regards

Arm.

[paul guthrie]

The Rape of Belgium has been done and quite well recently tho I cannot remember names of the authors, German Atrocities 1914 1918 A History of Denial. A few years ago it won the US Branch WFA prize for best WW1 work in English.

So many of the memorials in France & Belgium list those executed as well as soldiers died.

[Guest AmericanDoughboy]

The Rape of Belgium has been done and quite well recently tho I cannot remember names of the authors, German Atrocities 1914 1918 A History of Denial. A few years ago it won the US Branch WFA prize for best WW1 work in English.

So many of the memorials in France & Belgium list those executed as well as soldiers died.

Paul,

German Atrocities 1914: A History of Denial was written by John Horne and Alan Kramer. It's a medium sized book but it seems to be a great work on the history of what has been called: "The Rape of Belgium."

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=books&n=507846

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...3723187-7802214

-Doughboy

[paul guthrie]

Thanks Doughboy, this is a terrific book and I hope lots of people read it. THis is not a polemic, rather a scholarly work. It concludes that there is no longer any question, not even in Germany, that these atrocities were real and on a very large scale.

[Guest AmericanDoughboy]

Thanks Doughboy, this is a terrific book and I hope lots of people read it. THis is not a polemic, rather a scholarly work. It concludes that there is no longer any question, not even in Germany, that these atrocities were real  and on a very large scale.

Paul,

If you could, you should see my thread in Home and POWs about debating the history of the Rape of Belgium and it's atrocities committed by various German soldiers. I am welcomed to hear many opinions of propaganda or the truth.

-Doughboy

..oh wait...you already have

[Dikke Bertha]

Dear Andigger

Sorry for the delay in responding but I was away for a week at the Normandy beaches. Great stuff but another war.

I admit I found "The Rape of Belgium..." to be a little unexciting and certainly Leon Van Der Essen's book is ripping stuff in comparion. I do agree that a pinch of salt is necessary as it was written in 1917 but in the absence of any other books on the invasion it is certainly worth the read if you can get your hands on a copy.

Regards