Chapter 0178: The Fury of the Giant Cannons
After the outbreak of war, the German Army General Staff Headquarters had become the busiest place of all.
A constant stream of staff officers hurried in and out, while the telegraph machines clattered endlessly, receiving and sending messages. Tall female officers marked the latest front-line developments on sand tables and maps, allowing the commanders to grasp the situation at a glance.
After finishing his official duties, Kaiser Wilhelm II often visited the General Staff. This war was of paramount importance—it concerned the very fate of Germany. Even Wilhelm II dared not take it lightly.
"Chief of Staff, a telegram from the Meuse Army Corps," an officer handed a dispatch to Moltke.
"Well? Have they taken the Liège fortress?" Wilhelm II shifted his gaze from the sand table, asking, though he quickly noticed the grim expression on Moltke's face. The smile on his own had already vanished.
"Your Majesty, the Meuse Army Corps has not captured Liège. On the contrary, they have been held back. The Belgians, leveraging their strong fortifications, have successfully repelled General Emmich and inflicted heavy losses on the Corps," Moltke reported.
Wilhelm II frowned deeply.
"Chief of Staff, will this setback have any serious repercussions for our future operations?" Wilhelm II inquired.
"Your Majesty, everything remains under our control; there is no cause for significant concern," Moltke replied, regaining his confident demeanor.
The German Army was among the first to establish a General Staff, directing military operations with rigorously detailed plans, sometimes to the point of inflexibility. The German plans were so meticulously crafted that even marching distances were calculated down to the meter—no more, no less. This precision had turned the German military into a finely tuned machine, operating with a speed and efficiency that other nations could hardly rival.
It was also at this time that the importance of strategy and tactics in warfare began to diminish, replaced by a contest of national resources and comprehensive power. The collective intellect of the staff officers proved to be on par with that of the most renowned generals.
In these areas, the German Army unquestionably led the way.
"Order the deployment of our secret weapons to the Liège fortress. Also, send over all the weapons we borrowed from Austria-Hungary. Inform General Emmich that he must capture Liège within a week," Moltke commanded.
"Yes, Chief of Staff," an officer immediately left to relay the order.
Wilhelm II, although witnessing everything with his own eyes, did not intervene. He only cared about the final outcome, not the process. He was aware that he was not a military expert, so it was best to leave the conduct of war to the professionals.
The so-called "secret weapons" Moltke mentioned had been specifically prepared for the assault on Liège. Even before the war, the German General Staff had anticipated potential challenges and made provisions for a batch of special weapons.
These secret weapons were massive siege guns, including the 420mm howitzers produced by Krupp and the 305mm howitzers from Austria-Hungary's Skoda Works. Germany possessed only five of the 420mm howitzers, and Moltke sent four of them to General Emmich. Coupled with the eight 305mm howitzers borrowed from Austria-Hungary, Emmich now commanded a terrifying siege artillery force.
On August 12, the four 420mm howitzers and eight 305mm howitzers arrived at the front. Though the Germans had captured a few of the forts over the past few days, the key strongholds were still under Belgian control.
"Haha! Now let's see how the Belgians withstand our assault! Order the artillery to prepare—this afternoon, we begin the bombardment. Reduce their forts to rubble and kill every last one of them!" General Emmich commanded. After days of heavy fighting, although the Germans had made progress, their losses were significant.
At 6:30 p.m., General Emmich gave the order to begin the bombardment. The four 420mm howitzers and eight 305mm howitzers opened fire on the most heavily fortified Belgian battery, Fort de Fléron. The artillery crews loaded their shells, retreated to trenches 300 meters away, plugged their ears with earplugs, and fired. A thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield as a massive shell soared to 3,000 meters, then descended in a parabolic arc, landing 1,000 meters in front of the fort. The explosion left a crater dozens of meters wide, and dust filled the air. The devastating power of the 420mm howitzers shocked not only the Belgian defenders but also the German soldiers who witnessed the spectacle.
Subsequent shells continued to pound the fort. Observers in German zeppelins above corrected the artillery coordinates, and finally, the eighth shell struck the top of the fort, penetrating its armored roof and exploding in the central passage. Smoke and fire filled the interior of the fort as Belgian soldiers were torn to shreds. The remaining German guns, having adjusted their aim, unleashed a relentless barrage. Fort de Fléron trembled as if it sat on a volcano, with steel, concrete, and shattered bodies flying in all directions, lighting up half the sky in flames. When the bombardment ceased, German infantry stormed forward, finding the once-mighty fort reduced to rubble, with no survivors left.
On August 13, the German heavy artillery destroyed two more Belgian forts. Despite the devastation, the remaining forts continued to resist, refusing to surrender. General Emmich ordered the twelve siege guns to divide into two groups, sweeping along both banks of the Meuse River to annihilate the remaining forts. The battlefield was filled with deafening explosions every day, and one by one, the forts crumbled, becoming enormous furnaces of destruction and charnel grounds.
By August 16, eleven of the twelve forts had been destroyed, leaving only Fort Loncin, where Belgian commander General Leman made his last stand. Once again, General Emmich sent envoys to urge him to surrender, but Leman refused. The twelve siege guns unleashed a simultaneous barrage on Fort Loncin, igniting a massive fire. The fort's ammunition depot exploded in a chain reaction, and the armored roof was blown dozens of meters into the air. The entire fort was annihilated.
The Battle of Liège ended in a German victory, though at a steep cost. The Germans had lost over 40,000 men in front of the fortress. Yet with Liège captured, over a million German troops now had a clear path to the Marne River.