war." This did not carry with it a declaration of war against any
power, but had the effect of putting the entire German Empire under
martial law, everything being in readiness to cope with an enemy. On
the same day the kaiser made an important speech in which he said,
"A fateful hour has fallen for Germany. Envious peoples everywhere
are compelling us to our just defense. The sword has been forced
into our hands.

"I hope that if my efforts at the last hour do not succeed in
inducing our opponents to see eye to eye with us and in maintaining
peace, we shall, with God's help, so wield the sword that we shall
restore it to its sheath again with honor." On the same day,
however--namely August 1, 1914, at five o'clock in the evening he
signed an order mobilizing the German army, and Russia and Germany
went to war two hours later. A demand made upon the French
Government by the German Government, asking the intentions of France
in case Russia went to war with Germany, received an unsatisfactory
reply on August 2, 1914, and France on the same day mobilized its
army, though it declared war on no power. On August 3, 1914, German
troops entered French territory, for Germany did not wish to be
delayed in a campaign in the west by waiting for diplomatic
exchanges to take place; war between Germany and France began at the
moment the foreign soldiers crossed into France.

It was, in theory at least, over the matter of Belgian neutrality
that England and Germany went to war. As soon the British Government
saw that hopes for peace were no longer possible Sir Edward Grey
sent to its ambassadors in Germany and France the following
telegram; "London, July 31, 1914; I still trust situation is not
irretrievable, but in view of prospect of mobilization in Germany it
becomes essential to his Majesty's Government, in view of existing
treaties, to ask whether French [and German] Government is prepared
to engage to respect the neutrality of Belgium so long as no other
power violates it. A similar request is being addressed to the
German [and French] Government. It is important to have an early
answer."

To this telegram the French Government, on August 1, 1914, answered
that it stood ready to respect Belgian neutrality provided no other
power threatened or violated it. Germany hesitated to give a
definite reply immediately for fear of disclosing the plans of
campaign she had against France.

On August 3, 1914, German troops moved into L