<P> At midnight on 31 July--1 August the German government sent an ultimatum to Russia and announced a state of "Kriegsgefahr" during the day; the Turkish government ordered mobilisation and the London Stock Exchange closed . On 1 August the British government ordered the mobilisation of the Navy, the German government ordered general mobilisation and declared war on Russia . Hostilities commenced on the Polish frontier, the French government ordered general mobilisation and next day the German government sent an ultimatum to Belgium demanding passage through Belgian territory, as German troops crossed the frontier of Luxembourg . Military operations began on the French frontier, Libau was bombarded by a German cruiser SMS Augsburg and the British government guaranteed naval protection for French coasts . On 3 August the Belgian Government refused German demands and the British Government guaranteed military support to Belgium should the German army invade . Germany declared war on France, the British government ordered general mobilisation and Italy declared neutrality . On 4 August the British government sent an ultimatum to Germany and declared war on Germany at midnight on 4--5 August Central European time . Belgium severed diplomatic relations with Germany and Germany declared war on Belgium . German troops crossed the Belgian frontier and attacked Liège . </P> <P> The Battle of Liège was the first engagement in the German invasion of Belgium and the first battle of World War I . The attack on the city began on 5 August and lasted until 16 August, when the last fort was surrendered . The German invasion led the British to declare war and the length of the siege may have delayed the German invasion of France by 4--5 days . Railways needed by the German armies in eastern Belgium were closed during the early part of the siege and by the morning of 17 August, the German 1st, 2nd and 3rd armies were free to resume their advance to the French frontier, yet German troops only appeared in strength before Namur on 20 August . The Belgian field army withdrew from the Gete towards Antwerp from 18--20 August and Brussels was captured unopposed on 20 August . The siege of Liège had lasted for eleven days, rather than the two days anticipated by the Germans . Belgian military operations in the east of the country had delayed German plans, which some writers claimed had been advantageous to the Franco - British forces in northern France and in Belgium . </P> <P> Wolfgang Förster wrote that the German timetable of deployment had required its armies to reach a line from Thionville to Sedan and Mons by the 22nd day of mobilisation (23 August), which was achieved ahead of schedule . In Bulletin Belge des Sciences Militaires, a four - day delay was claimed . John Buchan wrote that "The triumph was moral--an advertisement to the world that the ancient faiths of country and duty could still nerve the arm for battle, and that the German idol, for all its splendour, had feet of clay". In 2007, Foley called the neutralisation of the Belgian defences at Liège sufficient to enable the German right wing to squeeze through, a small bump in the road for the Germans, who had mobilised in two weeks and were ready to invade France by 20 August . </P> <P> The Battle of Haelen was fought by mounted and dismounted cavalry and other forces on 12 August 1914 between German forces, led by Georg von der Marwitz and Belgian forces, led by Léon de Witte . To block a German advance towards Hasselt and Diest, the Cavalry Division commanded by Lieutenant - General Léon de Witte, was sent to guard the bridge over the river Gete at Haelen . During an evening meeting, the Belgian general staff directed de Witte to fight a dismounted action in an attempt to nullify the German numerical advantage . From communication intercepts, the Belgian Headquarters discovered that the Germans were heading in force towards de Witte and sent the 4th Infantry Brigade to reinforce the Cavalry Division . The battle began around 8: 00 a.m. when a German scouting party advancing from Herk - de-Stad was engaged with small - arms fire by Belgian troops . About 200 Belgian soldiers attempted to set up a fortified position in the old brewery in Haelen but were driven out of the building when the Germans brought up field artillery . </P>

These soldiers are marching through belgium in august 1914 an action that