Battle of Liege

The Battle of Liege was a WW1 battle fought between the Imperial German Army and the Belgian defensive forces. It took place near the town of Liege, Belgium, from August 5 to August 14, 1914. This military encounter began when the Germans launched a powerful attack on the Belgian forts of Liege, which were the first obstacles in the German offensive against France. This offensive was part of the Schlieffen’s Plan, which consisted of a fast and surprise assault on France to quickly defeat the Entente’s forces on the Western Front first, and then regroup and refit to attack the Russian Army on the Eastern Front. The result of the battle was a German victory.

Summary

The attack on the 11 Belgian concrete forts at Liege began on the morning of August 5, 1914. It was carried out by the German Army of the Meuse, under the command of Otto von Emmich. After pounding and destroying them with heavy artillery shells, the Germans managed to capture the enemy forts one by one in nine days, after vicious fighting. Fort Boncelles was the first Belgian citadel that fell in German hands on the morning of August 6.

On the August 7, the Germans took the town of Liege, from which they would launch attacks on the other forts. Finally, on August 14, Fort Fleron was captured by the German Army after heavy fighting and artillery duels. In order to be able to capture all these forts, the Germans used heavy artillery, such as the 420-mm Big Bertha howitzer and the Krupp 280-mm howitzer.

Below, the 28 cm howitzer L/14 manufactured by Krupp employed to attack the forts of Liege, in Belgium, in August 1914.

Below, General Otto von Emmich, the commander of the German forces that defeated the Belgian Army at Liege