"The Belgians even more than von Bülow tried von Kluck’s temper. Their army by forcing the Germans to fight their way through delayed the schedule of march and by blowing up railroads and bridges disrupted the flow of ammunition, food, medicine, mail, and every other supply, causing the Germans a constant diversion of effort to keep open their lines to the rear. Civilians blocked roads and worst of all cut telephone and telegraph wires which dislocated communication not only between the German armies and OHL but also between army and army and corps and corps. This “extremely aggressive guerrilla warfare,” as von Kluck called it, and especially the sniping by franc-tireurs at German soldiers, exasperated him and his fellow commanders. From the moment his army entered Belgium he found it necessary to take, in his own words, “severe and inexorable reprisals” such as “the shooting of individuals and the burning of homes” against the “treacherous” attacks of the civil population." Tuchman, Guns of August.
It is worth reading the entire excerpt: Germans Retaliate.
In 1980 at a wedding dinner in Belgium, we sat across from a woman in her 90's who had been about 20 when the Germans invaded. She called them "le Boches." And had never come to view Germans as allies.
German ill treatment of civilians in invaded countries was nothing new. In 1889, Germany intervened in a civil war with Samoa. When opponents of their Samoan puppet fought back, Germany issued a proclamation:
“In
conformity with section 58 of the German Military Laws, the following
offenses will be punished by death:
1. Any
person or persons who will purposely assist the enemy, or attempt to
injure German troops;
2. Any
person or persons who will lead the enemy for military purposes
against Germans, or confederated troops, or will mislead German or
confederated troops;
3.Any
person or persons who will venture to give information to the enemy,
either verbally or in writing, about matters which are connected
with the waging of
war, and all who may act on behalf of such persons;
4. Any
person or persons who will instigate or incite German troops against
law and order, by any means, as, for instance, informing them of
proclamations of the enemy, etc. etc;
5.In
not very serious cases the offender will be punished by imprisonment,
not less than 10 years or for life.”
Thus did Germany seek to win the hearts and minds of the Samoans. And the Belgians.
Posts
