CHAPTER I. A WAR FOR INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM A Conflict that was Inevitable--The Flower of Manhood on the Fields of France--Germany's Defiance to the World--Heroic Belgium--Four Autocratic Nations against Twenty-four Committed to the Principles of Liberty--America's Titanic Effort--Four Million Men Under Arms, Two Million Overseas--France the Martyr Nation--The British Empire's Tremendous Share in the Victory--A River of Blood Watering the Desert of Autocracy CHAPTER II. THE WORLD SUDDENLY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN The War Storm Breaks--Trade and Commerce Paralyzed--Homeward Rush of Travelers--Harrowing Scenes as Ships Sail for America--Stock Markets Closed--The Tide of Desolation Following in the Wake of War CHAPTER III. WHY THE WORLD WENT TO WAR The Balkan Ferment--Russia, the Dying Giant Among Autocracies--Turkey the "Sick Man" of Europe--Scars Left by the Balkan War--Germany's Determination to Seize a Place in the Sun. CHAPTER IV. THE PLOTTER BEHIND THE SCENES The Assassination at Sarajevo--The Slavic Ferment--Austria's Domineering Note--The Plotters of Potsdam--The Mailed Fist of Militarism Beneath the Velvet Glove of Diplomacy--Mobilization and Declarations of War CHAPTER V. THE GREAT WAR BEGINS Germany Invades Belgium and Luxemburg--French Invade Alsace--England's "Contemptible Little Army" Lands in France and Belgium--The Murderous Gray-Green Tide--Heroic Retreat of the British from Mons--Belgium Overrun--Northern France Invaded--Marshal Joffre Makes Ready to Strike CHAPTER VI. THE TRAIL OF THE BEAST IN BELGIUM Barbarities that Shocked Humanity--Planned as Part of the Teutonic Policy of Schrecklichkeit--How the German and the Hun Became Synonymous Terms--The Unmatchable Crimes of a War-Mad Army--A Record of Infamy Written in Blood and Tears--Official Reports CHAPTER VII. THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE MARNE Joffre's Masterly Plan--The Enemy Trapped Between Verdun and Paris--Gallieni's "Army in Taxicabs"--Foch, the "Savior of Civilization," Appears--His Mighty Thrust Routs the Army of Hausen--Joffre Salutes Foch as "First Strategist in Europe"--Battle that Won the Baton of a Marshal CHAPTER VIII. JAPAN IN THE WAR Tsing Tau Seized by the Mikado--German "Gibraltar" of the Far East Surrendered After Short Siege--Japan's Aid to the Allies in Money, Ships, Men and Nurses--German Propaganda in the Far East Fails CHAPTER IX. CAMPAIGN IN THE EAST Invasion of East Prussia--Von Hindenburg and Masurian Lakes--Battle of Tannenberg--Augustovo--Russians Capture Lemberg--The Offer to Poland CHAPTER X. STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY ON THE SEA The British Blockade--German Raiders and Their Fate--Story of the Emden's Remarkable Voyage--Appearance of the Submarine--British Naval Victory off Helgoland--U-9 Sinks Three British Cruisers CHAPTER XI. THE SUBLIME PORTE Turkish Intrigues--The Holy War--Mesopotamia and Transcaucasia--The Suez Canal--Turkey the Catspaw of Germany