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ANSWER1. Germany invaded the neutral country Belgium. 2. Germany was blamed for WWI because of their "excesses" of war.
The formation of entangling alliances caused all the involved nations to rush to the aid of their ally. For example Austria-Hungary wished to regain land from Serbia and Germany helped them. Serbia had alliances with France and inturn Britain also joined the war. Another reason was the brutal German invasion of neutral Belgium.
Europe is not a country, it is a continent with many different countries that have their own separate agendas and do different things. Austria-Hungary, Serbia, Germany, Russia and France all declared war within a short amoutn of time. Britain, Italy and Bulgaria voluntarily joined later on and Belgium was dragged in by a German invasion. Some countries, like Spain and Sweden remained neutral.
Germany invaded Belgium as a path to get to France. (France and Germany had already mutually declared war in support of Austria-Hungary vs. Russia.) The French army was waiting for them on the Frech-German border but by passing thru neutral Belgium, Germany was able to get their army BEHIND the French army. It was called Schlieffen Plan after the German Field Marshal Alfred Graf von Schlieffen, who developed it. Britain had decades earlier pledged to guarantee the territorial integrity of Belgium as it had previously been coveted by Germany, France, and The Netherlands. Actually, it had previously been PART of The Netherlands and its independence was when Britain pledged its support. Germany gambled that Britain would NOT honor its commitment to go to war in support of Belgium. It was STUPID of Germany to think that Britain would ignore its responsibility.
Belgium had been a major battlefield in WW 1 with all the devastation, loss of life and displacement of tens of thousands of Belgians that came with it. Belgium had every reason to fear that an eventual continuation of that war would again put them in the heart of the tornado, so to speak - as it did, a few years later. It hoped to avert that fate by declaring itself neutral at an early stage. Excellent response! By the year 1936, 3 years before the outbreak of WW2, Belgium recognized that the German military build up was a danger to them. Since 1930, under the Wiemar Republic, Germany had begun to re- arm itself. Under the control of Hitler, this build up continued. Thus Belgium being aware of this declared in 1936, its neutrality.
Belgium was a neutral nation
Germany's brutal invasion of neutral Belgium
In the past the Germans have invaded many countries, but the neutral country invasion that angered Americans most was the invasion of Belgium.
Great Britain declared war on Germany.
In the past the Germans have invaded many countries, but the neutral country invasion that angered Americans most was the invasion of Belgium.
the German invasion of neutral Belgium
On 19 April 1839 the Treaty of London signed by the European powers (including the Netherlands) recognized Belgium as an independent and neutral country. Despite it's neutrality, Germany invaded Belgium anyway to surprise the French army who did not expect Germany to cross neutral Belgium. Because of the German invasion Belgium became part of the "Allies" and was not neutral during the rest of the war.
Germany's brutal invasion of neutral Belgium
American public opinion turned against Germany in WW One & WW Two for various reasons. In WW1, Germany invaded France & Belgium in August 1914. Because, Belgium was a neutral country, Americans were upset with Germany. The invasion of Belgium however was not the most important factor. Later, German unrestricted submarine warfare also turned American public opinion against Germany. Then as a final straw, the German's Zimmermann telegram message to Mexico further angered Americans. In WW2, Germany invaded Poland, neutral Denmark, neutral Norway, neutral Holland, neutral Belgium, and so forth on & on. German submarine warfare also turned public opinion against Germany.
I believe so... Germany invaded Belgium even though they remained neutral more info at http://militaryhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_belgian_army_of_1914_
They were Neutral at that time. :D I come from Belgium
Belgium was a neutral country at the start of WWI. However, Germany invaded neutral countries like Belgium as a part of Schlieffen Plan to eventually capture France. This led to involvement of Great Britain in war to help Belgium.