One of these, in the form of a German official warning, says:
"The reports at hand about the fighting around Liege show that the
population of the country took part in the battle. Our troops were fired
upon from ambush. Physicians were shot at while following their
profession. Cruelties were practiced by the population on wounded
soldiers. There is also news at hand showing that German patrols in the
vicinity of Metz were fired at from ambush from the French side. It may
be that these occurrences are due to the composition of the population
in those industrial regions, but it may also be that France and Belgium
are preparing for a guerrilla warfare upon our troops. If the latter
alternative should prove true, and this proof be strengthened through
repetitions of these occurrences, then our opponents will have
themselves to thank if this war be carried on with unrelenting severity
even against the guilty population. The German troops, who are
accustomed to preserve discipline and to wage war only against the armed
forces of the hostile State, cannot be blamed if, in just self-defense,
they give no quarter. The hope of influencing the result of the war by
turning loose the passions of the populace will be frustrated by the
unshaken energy of our leaders and our troops.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197