Show Why Germans Strike at France Through Belgium The v tal importance of Belgium m a war between 1 ranee and Germany 1 es m the fact that unless Germany may move across the Belgian locality neutralized by treaty an mvas on of France would have to be through the heavily fort fied French front er proper The ent re northeastern front er of France is roughly 440 m Jes in length For a d stance of about 2o0 m les th s front er line sepa ates Prance from Belg um and Luxemburg The re ma nder abo t 190 miles separates France f rpm German terr tory W th the neutral ty of Belgium ob served the scene of act on would be reduced to the splendidly fort fied Franco German front er proper This 1 ne of defense runs broadly speaking from Verdun to Nancy to Lp nal to Belfort and tp Besancon Each one of these c t es is the center of a gro p of fortifications extend ng northwest and southwest and all fac ng the German border Each has ts out posts and its flanking protect on and the 1 ne is sa d to be v rtually con tmuous for the greater part of the en t re d stance between Luxemburg and the Sw ss border Beh nd th s 1 ne of fortificat ons France has a second line of defense broadly speak ng runn ng parallel from Ehe ms to Chatlona and tp Verdun and from Chalona to Langres to Diion and to Besancon The second 1 ne of protect on is from e ghty to 120 m les fron Par s and the last front er 1 ne of fort neat ons is roughly speak ng from 140 to 220 m leg from the French -cap tal The Trench front er from the Stra t of Dover to German territory the line wh ch separates France from Belgium and Luxemburg also is well protected Thus a German advance through Belgium is in effect go ng around the end |