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Siege of Antwerp
Part of the Western Front of World War I
Date September 28th - October 10th 1914 Location Antwerp, Belgium Result German victory
Combatants
Belgium	German Empire
Commanders
?	?
Strength
?	?
Casualties
?	?

For the siege of Antwerp during the Eighty Years' War, see siege of Antwerp (1584-1585).

The Siege of Antwerp was an engagement of the Germans and the Belgians during World War I. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ... Combatants Belgium British Empire Australia[1] Canada[2] India[3] Newfoundland[4] New Zealand[5] South Africa[6] United Kingdom France and French Overseas Empire Portugal[7] United States Germany Austria-Hungary Commanders No unified command until 1918, then Ferdinand Foch Moltke → Falkenhayn → Hindenburg and Ludendorff → Hindenburg and Groener Casualties... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years). ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Motto Gott mit Uns (German: God with us”) Anthem Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) Official: German Unofficial minority languages: Danish, French, Frisian, Polish, Sorbian Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor  - 1871–1888 William I  - 1888 Frederick... Combatants Belgium British Empire Australia[1] Canada[2] India[3] Newfoundland[4] New Zealand[5] South Africa[6] United Kingdom France and French Overseas Empire Portugal[7] United States Germany Austria-Hungary Commanders No unified command until 1918, then Ferdinand Foch Moltke → Falkenhayn → Hindenburg and Ludendorff → Hindenburg and Groener Casualties... The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of battles fought along the eastern frontier of France and in southern Belgium shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. ... 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The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during the First World War, which marked the deepest advance by either side since 1914. ... British and Portuguese captured by German forces in the Flanders region (1918) British 55th (West Lancashire) Division troops blinded by tear gas during the battle, 10 April 1918. ... The Third Battle of the Aisne was a German offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive in France. ... Combatants United States France British Empire German Empire Commanders John J. Pershing James Harbord Crown Prince Wilhelm Strength 2 U.S. divisions French 6th Army (elements) British IX Corps (elements) 5 German divisions (elements) Casualties 9,777 unknown The Battle of Belleau Wood was a battle of the first World... Combatants  France  United Kingdom  United States  German Empire Casualties 168,000 The Second Battle of the Marne, or Battle of Reims, was a major World War I battle fought from July 15 to August 5, 1918, near the Marne River. ... The Battle of Chateau Thierry was fought on July 18, 1918. ... Combatants Australia, United States German Empire Commanders John Monash Casualties 976 KIA, 338 WIA 2000 KIA, 1600 POW The Battle of Hamel (4 July 1918) was a planned attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force against German positions in the town of Hamel in northern France... Combatants Belgium British Empire France United States of America German Empire Commanders King Albert I Ferdinand Foch Douglas Haig Philippe Petain John Pershing Erich Ludendorff Casualties 411,636 British 531,000 French 127,000+ American 785,733 The Hundred Days Offensive was the final offensive in World War I by... Combatants Dutch rebels Spanish Empire The Eighty Years War, or Dutch Revolt (1568[1]–1648), was the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces in the Netherlands against the Spanish (Habsburg) Empire. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

The German army invaded Belgium on the morning of August 4, 1914, two days after the decision of the Belgian government not to allow German troops unhindered passage to France. is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

As the Belgian army was ill-prepared and outnumbered by the better-armed and more numerous German troops, the Belgian army had to relinquish control of the strongholds of Liège (which fell on August 16) and Namur, which fell into the hands of the Germans on August 24. Liège (Dutch: Luik, German: Lüttich; before 1946, the citys name was written Liége, with the acute accent) is a major city located in the Belgian province of Liège, of which it is the capital. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Namur (Nameûr in Walloon, Namen in Dutch) is a city and municipality, capital of the province of Namur and of the region of Wallonia in southern Belgium. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Unable to withstand the massive German offensive, King Albert I of the Belgians instructed the army to withdraw to the "Fort of Antwerp" on August 20. This collection of fortifications and defensive positions around the city of Antwerp was considered to be the "réduit national" and impenetrable. The "Fort of Antwerp" consisted of an outer and an inner ring around the city of 19th-century forts and strongholds within a distance of several kilometers of each other, built to defend the vital harbor of Antwerp. Remnants of these fortifications can still be seen today and most are now recreational areas. Albert I (April 8, 1875 – February 17, 1934) was the third King of the Belgians. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... The Reduit national (French) or De versterkte stelling Antwerpen (Dutch) was a term given for the collection of strongholds and fortifications encircling the city of Antwerp (Belgium) built in the second half of the 19th century. ...

Most Antwerp forts and defensive positions were outdated and lacking in firepower. The German army, better armed and technologically more advanced, attacked the city of Antwerp on September 28, preceded by a heavy artillery barrage. Antwerp was besieged and the forts of the outer ring fell one by one between October 1 and October 4. The Belgian soldiers suffered from fatigue and were demoralized due to heavy terrain losses. is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

October 5 was a crucial date during the Siege of Antwerp; the German army broke through the Belgian defences in the town of Lier, 20 kilometers southeast of Antwerp and moved on to the town of Dendermonde (south of Antwerp) where it attempted to cross the river Scheldt. This "pincer movement" of the German army threatened to block the western retreat route of the Belgian army out of Antwerp, its eastern and southern escape routes being blocked by German troops and its north blocked by the closed Belgian-Dutch border. The Dutch did not offer any military assistance, not wanting to be drawn into the conflict, preferring neutrality. is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lier can refer to the municipalities: Lier, Norway Lier, Belgium This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Dendermonde (French: Termonde) is a city and municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of East Flanders. ... The Scheldt in Antwerp Length 350 km Elevation of the source 95 m Average discharge 120 m³/s Area watershed 21860 km² Origin France Mouth Westerschelde Basin countries France, Belgium, Netherlands The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French lEscaut) is a 350 km[1] (217 mile) long river that finds its...

The Belgian army retreated before being trapped and left the city of Antwerp to its own defenses. Belgian forces fled westwards towards the coast on October 6 eventually stopping the German advance on the banks of the river Yser. The city of Antwerp was defended by the remaining fort's garrisons. Most of these troops were abandoned by their officers and many soldiers deserted and destroyed their own weaponry and ammunitions. October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Combatants Belgium France German Empire Commanders Albert I of Belgium Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg Strength Belgium: 4 infantry divisions, 2 reserve divisions France: 1 infantry division, 2 Marine regiments 6 Corps (12 divisions) Casualties Belgium: 40,000 France: 15,000 The Battle of the Yser secured the coastline of...

The mayor of Antwerp, Jan De Vos, offered capitulation on October 10 and the Siege of Antwerp was over. The city of Antwerp would remain occupied by German troops until 1918. Jan De Vos was mayor of Antwerp (Belgium) from March 15, 1909, till July 21, 1921. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

One third of the Belgian Army, about 40,000 soldiers, fled north to the Netherlands, followed by one million civilian refugees in 1914. The Netherlands interned Belgian refugees as far as possible from the Belgian border, for fear of being drawn into the conflict, many continued living in the Netherlands after 1918 and never returned to Belgium.

The German side of the story is of equal interest though, because they were confronted with a massive stretch of fortifications along the French border. It is either sacrifce thousands of men in a stalemate that could possibly last for years and not gain more than a kilometer or they could take Belgium swiftly and with few casualties. The French had to reroute troops from the border to meet the Germans who came through Belgium.

Without prompt reinforcements France would have been lost in a year do to this suprise.