Moltke jr. expected that as a result of violation of Belgian neutrality the British would declare war against them.
However, according to his repentance it was out of his expectation that the Belgian fought to the last.

On the other hand the French thought it was German ruse to force French army to trespass the French-Belgian border by provoking the French public resulting in British antagonism against French. From a French view point it is impossible to get two great powers to be enemies simply by bypassing through Belgium.

It is a critical mistake for Moltke jr. to underrate British capacity for long war. However, everyone in France thought of the war over in a short period. The tiny BEF was not important to the French military power and Russian steam roller was a supreme balance to them.

MAP

The Germans' object is to turn the fortified common border. However, the French charged to the German strong hold and repulsed with heavy losses. Did the French really think it possible to break through German fortification by their elan ? Were there any other operational plans to avoid this ?

It is clever enough that French had shown patience in diplomatic talks, but not so in military realism. It is not easy to persuade the public to sacrifice their army and lose strategic merit to get an ally and their tiny contribution.

This question has continued since then with the clamor of the French saying "British request our blood to flow first."

French dismissed German right wing as being a feint. The Belgians asked for help from time to time in vain. The Germans did not expect Belgian resistance and it was beyond their imagination. It cause Germans four days delay from their original plan. And the Belgians destroyed all important bridges and tunnels of railway while retreating.

This was a severe damage to German transportation, and they suffered throughout the battle in 1914 from poor logistics and shortage of reservists. It also played an important role in the Battle of Marne.

Belgian Refugees from Antwerp

French failure of valuing German right wing came from underestimation of quantity and method. They did not think Germans to throw their reserve corps in. Germans intentionally gave their corps an confusing number. Below's corps was called 1st reserve corps and Francois' was real 1st corps even in Tannenberg.

The French misunderstood reserve corps as being the same as the real in number. As a result, they underestimated down to three quarter. Upon mobilization the Germans divided original corps into two and set new one up with half of officers of original one and half of artillery squadrons. Reserve corps usually kick up their heels at the rear. It was Moltke's secret idea to send reserve corps to the front. However, it was rather out of expectation that the French so long deceived.

Germans crossed the border at Goemelich 48Km east away from Liege 4 A.M. on 4 August. Belgians counter fired against invaders. The First World War began.

Belgian neutrality was guaranteed in 1839 by five European great powers, namely England, France, Prussia, Austria and Russia. An old enough treaty. But the Belgian and their king Albert believed it to be valued even in warring period. This neutrality came from the need of England whose prime minister, Gladstone wanted Low Lands never controlled by one great power.

King Albert rather put belief in neutrality itself. His idea was very simple. When his land was invaded by any country he and his subjects should fight to the last. When German ultimatum was put on an agenda in the cabinet he said, "Whatever the result we should resolve to refuse. We all are obliged to defend our land. There is no mistake in it."

King Albert the First

Afterward, he was asked why he so firmly resolved to fight. He clarified decision, which came from the doubt about German promise and considered it to be betrayed even though Germany was victorious. In the first place Germany as a country or her history was not believed to be reliable.

The Belgian planned to mobilize 6 divisions. Mobilization was ordered on the last July the same day as the French.
On this occasion their enemy was not defined so that they prepared for three directions, Namur against France, Liege against Germany, and Ostende against England.

But their preparation could not be good because of too long peace and socialism influential recently in the parliament.

Their staff officers had been educated in France becoming firm believers in French elan. They planned "offensive operations" only. Surrounded by great powers their only possibility was apparently to defend at first. It was meaningless to cross their own border to fight somewhere. When this happened they lost all their land.

Belgian Soldiers

King Albert did not fall into this hole due to his involvement in politics. On the other hand he believed that if the kingdom held her army intact she could exist. In this light he did everything to rescue and urged to withdraw in an appropriate timing. He was more or less very successful. He refused Joffre's request to follow French 5th army. He also refused to function as reserve army for the British when the First battle of Ypre arose. He was object to the offensive plan in 1917 saying the possibility to devastate the land. Between 1916 and 1917 he pursued the negotiated peace.

However, in 1918 he agreed to fight under Foch and participated as a field commander for Flanders army in the Allied final offensive succeeding in liberating his kingdom's land.

He was accidentally killed in mountain climbing in 1934 and shown great sympathy by all of Allied peoples.