1940: Belgium

Despite every effort to maintain her neutrality and independence, Belgium, in 1940, became again the battlefield of Europe. Belgians had not neglected preparations to resist an invading German army. The main line of Belgian defense lay along the Meuse River and the Albert Canal. For months before the invasion actually took place these lines had been constantly strengthened and extensive arrangements had been made for delaying an enemy advance. At the beginning of the year 650,000 men were mobilized. On Jan. 13 all soldiers who were on leave were recalled and the following day full control was taken over by Army headquarters with the King in command. After the invasion of Denmark and Norway in the middle of April the country was placed in a state of siege.

At the height of the last crisis before Belgium was invaded the perennial struggle between the Dutch speaking Flemings and the French-speaking Walloons caused some dissension in the Government and in the country. To satisfy Flemish aspirations the Government proposed to duplicate certain posts in the Education Ministry so as to add a Flemish assistant director to a department where the director was a Walloon and vice versa. As a result of Liberal opposition to these proposals the Pierlot cabinet resigned on April 25. Political harmony was temporarily restored by Premier Pierlot's withdrawal of his resignation after King Leopold had intervened personally in the domestic crisis and restored national unity.

German Invasion.

The German invasion of Belgium began at three o'clock on the morning of May 10 when German armed forces crossed the frontier of Belgium. Earlier in the same morning the Cabinet met; King Leopold took over the direction of the operations of defense and the Government ordered general mobilization. Great Britain and France were asked to implement their guarantee of Belgian frontiers by sending immediate aid. Later in the day M. Speak, Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the Belgian Chamber of Deputies that within thirty minutes the Allies had given a favorable reply to the Belgian appeal. By six o'clock in the morning French and British troops were en route to the fields of Flanders.

After Brussels, Antwerp and other cities had already been bombed and after fighting had been in progress for some hours the German Ambassador asked for a meeting with the Belgian Foreign Minister. The latter told the German representative that Germany once more had committed an act of aggression devoid of all justification. That the invasion of Belgium by German troops for the second time within the memory of living men caused widespread resentment throughout the world and particularly in the United States, as shown by the message of President Roosevelt to the King of the Belgians in which he said that the 'cruel invasion' had shocked and angered the people of the United States who hoped, as he did, that 'the policies which seek to dominate peaceful and independent peoples through force and military aggression may be arrested, and that the Government and people of Belgium may preserve their integrity and their freedom.'

A memorandum issued by the German foreign office contained the German reasons for invading Belgium and the Netherlands. The Germans alleged that since the outbreak of war Belgian and Dutch newspapers had surpassed even the British and the French in their anti-German attitude; Dutch and Belgians had allowed their territory to be used for British Secret Service attempts to stir up a revolution in Germany; Belgium had fortified only the frontier bordering on Germany, thus giving an undeniable proof of the true intentions of Belgian policy; Belgian mobilizations had been directed exclusively against Germany; Belgian and Dutch troops had been massed on the German frontier at a time when Germany had no troops concentrated on her frontier facing Belgium and the Netherlands, but Britain and France, on the other hand, had collected a strongly motorized army of invasion on the Franco-Belgian frontier; documents available to the Reich Government proved that the preparations of France and Britain for an attack on Germany through Belgian and Dutch territory had reached a very advanced stage. Furthermore, in spite of the fact that the Belgian Foreign Minister had had his attention repeatedly drawn to this attitude nothing was changed. If the Belgians and Dutch, continued the memorandum, said that this development was not according to their intentions but only because of their helplessness and that Britain and France had forced them to take up this attitude, it did not alter the facts. Before handing the memorandum to the German and foreign press the German Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Britain and France had at last dropped the mask; an attack on the Ruhr valley via Holland and Belgium was definitely planned. 'Our Fuehrer,' he added, 'was unwilling to have this important region submitted to new aggression. He therefore decided to take the neutrality of Belgium and Holland under his protection.'

Impartial historians of the future will undoubtedly consider the real reasons for the German invasion to be based upon military and economic strategy. The necessity of executing a great enveloping movement which would enable the German army to turn the strong defenses of the original Maginot Line of Eastern France was certainly a factor. The opportunity to obtain naval and aerial bases in Belgium from which attacks on Great Britain could be more effectively developed and the prospect of exploiting the rich industrial regions of Belgium were also important reasons for the German decision 'to protect' Belgian neutrality.

On the second day of the invasion the Germans succeeded in gaining a foothold in the Belgian defense position. Mass air attacks were made on several cities. On May 12 the passage of the Albert Canal was forced between Hasselt and Maastricht. By May 14 German troops had reached the French border in South Belgium. German air forces systematically destroyed many towns. The city of Namur was three-fourths destroyed before it was attacked by land troops. Louvain was seriously damaged. On May 17 German forces entered Brussels and captured Malines, and on the following day Hitler signed a decree which incorporated Eupen, Malmedy, and Moresnet (provinces which Belgium had obtained after the First World War) into the Reich. (See also EUROPEAN WAR.)

Surrender of Belgium.

By May 27 the situation of the Belgian army had become so desperate that King Leopold, as Commander-in-chief of the Army, sent a plenipotentiary to the German Army Headquarters and offered to surrender. The Belgian Army ceased to resist Germany's will at four o'clock on the following morning. This action on the part of King Leopold caused many of his former friends to denounce him. The Premier of France, M. Reynaud, declared: 'It is a fact without precedent in history.' The Belgian Cabinet, meeting in Paris, repudiated the action of the King. M. Pierlot, Premier of Belgium, said that the King, overruling the formal and unanimous advice of the Government, had opened negotiations and had treated with the enemy. He further declared: 'Belgium will be dumbfounded. But the fault of one man cannot be imputed to the whole nation.'

The Belgian Government resolved to continue the struggle and raise a new army in France and Britain. At another meeting of the Belgian Cabinet in France on May 30 a decree was approved which stated that: 'in view of the fact that the King is in the power of the invader, the Ministers, met together in council, declare that it is impossible for the King to reign.' This attitude of the Government was approved the next day by a rump meeting of the Belgian Parliament, at Limoges in France, which was attended by 54 Senators and 89 Deputies. This group agreed that it was now morally and juridically impossible for the King to reign and passed a resolution unanimously expressing indignation at the capitulation of the King and describing it as an act for which he would beat the responsibility in history.

King Leopold of the Belgians who, ever since his surrender, has considered himself a prisoner of war, has had no opportunity to speak for himself. When the smoke of war has cleared away it may well be discovered that King Leopold's surrender was an act of courage rather than one of dishonor. He and his army fought bravely; their position was rapidly becoming hopeless, and their efforts from the beginning were hampered by civilian refugees. The King refused to desert his soldiers. He insisted that he share their fate and their lot and his has certainly not been a happy one. Already certain prominent figures are defending the King's character and behavior, including the American Ambassador to Belgium, Mr. Cudahy, and ex-President Hoover.

Belgium is the only territory occupied by German forces which as yet has no native administration. The German authorities endeavored in vain to persuade King Leopold to assume the responsibility for the administration of Belgium which at present is carried on by the occupying forces.

Economic Conditions.

The German conquest has seriously disorganized the economic life of Belgium, which in normal times imported 50 per cent of its foodstuffs, chiefly from overseas, paying for these imports with manufactured goods. In a population of 8,000,000, 1,000,000 were reported unemployed in September. The number has increased since then as civilian refugees estimated at almost 2,000,000, have been returning from France. This sharp rise in unemployment has been due to an almost complete stoppage in the public services, particularly railways and shipping, and to a cessation of work in many private enterprises such as the building trades and undertakings that are dependent upon imported raw materials. A general breakdown of administration has also hampered business. Many of the unemployed Belgian workers are being recruited for work in the Reich.

German broadcasts have warned the Belgian peasants that all cereal crops are to be nationalized and that owing to lack of fodder they must sacrifice part of their cattle and poultry. Bread, meat, milk, eggs and butter have been severely rationed at levels about 30 per cent below those fixed for Germans. At the same time dairy products are being sent to Germany.

Government in Exile.

In July the German High Command for Belgium and Northern France proscribed all members of the Belgian Parliament and intellectuals who had taken refuge in France. The order also forbade 'the former members of the Pierlot Government now abroad' to return to Belgium.

Members of the Belgian Parliament in Great Britain, including four former Ministers, five Socialist and two Liberal Deputies, and one Liberal Senator, signed a statement declaring that if the pledges made by the Belgian Parliament were to be carried out, an antonymous Belgian fighting force must be organized together with Belgian ships and sailors; Belgian public and private assets must be mobilized; Belgian refugee labor employed in the common cause; all the resources of the Belgian Congo mobilized for the war; and all separatist and other maneuvers which weaken Belgian resistance parried.

The Minister of Finance, in a broadcast from London late in 1940, declared that the aim of the Belgian Government was the liberation of Belgium and the liberation of their King, who was a prisoner of war; restoration of their country's territorial integrity and independence. The Belgian Government is acting in full agreement with the British Government. A Belgian unit is entrusted with the defense of a sector in England. All Belgian shipping has been placed at the disposal of the British and all the resources of the Belgian Congo have been made available to the British for war requirements.

As 1940 ends, the future of Belgium is in doubt. The Belgium that this generation has known may disappear in a German controlled Europe. It is certain that only a British victory will ensure a free and independent Belgium.