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 58 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 88 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 117 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 “The First Strategist in Europe”--The Battle that Won the Baton of a Marshal 153 CHAPTER VIII. JAPAN IN THE WAR Tsing-Tau Seized by the Mikado--German “Gibraltar” of 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 170 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 184 CHAPTER X. NEW METHODS AND HORRORS OF WARFARE Tanks--Poison Gas--Flame Projectors--Airplane Bombs--Trench Mortars--Machine Guns--Modern Uses of Airplanes for Liaison and Attacks on Infantry--Radio--Rifle and Hand Grenades--A War of Intensive Artillery Preparation--A Debacle of Insanities, Terrible Wounds and Horrible Deaths 212 ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME I PAGE THE VICTORIOUS GENERALS _Frontispiece_ KINGS AND CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THE PRINCIPAL POWERS ASSOCIATED AGAINST THE GERMAN ALLIANCE 2 THE “TIGER OF FRANCE” 14 THE RIGHT HONORABLE DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 36 FRANCIS JOSEPH I OF AUSTRIA, THE “OLD EMPEROR” ON A STATE OCCASION 44 THE KAISER AND HIS SIX SONS 82 KING ALBERT AT THE HEAD OF THE HEROIC SOLDIERS OF BELGIUM 94