To the second, it said that the documents found in Brussels merely
showed an exchange of ideas as to how England might aid Belgium in
defending her neutrality against an attack by Germany, and that there
was nothing binding on either England or Belgium as to the outcome of
these "conversations" of military experts.
In rebuttal Germany has asked: But why were we also not taken into the
confidence of Brussels and similar plans formulated by which we might
aid Belgium in repelling an invasion from either France or England?
To this the answer is simple: It has always been one of the objects of
British policy to preserve Belgian neutrality, and that, aside from
moral considerations, it would not be good military science for France
to seek Germany via Belgium.
But this answer is capable of an expansion it has not hitherto received.
Why did Belgium appear to fear an invasion from Germany and not one from
England or France?
One has heard a great deal about Germany's supposed ambition to expand
her North Sea coast at the expense of Denmark, Holland and Belgium, by
coercing the Danish and the Dutch Governments to rebuild their coast
fortifications toward England and to dismantle their forts on the German
frontier. Much has also been said of Germany's contemplated invasion of
the Low Countries at the time of the Agadir incident in 1911.
Documentary proof of Germany's contemplated initiative has hitherto been
missing.
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