<– Part 2 – August 9, 1914  | Part 3 – August 16, 1914 |  Part 4 – August 23, 1914 –>

The fighting continues around the world. To the east, the German East Asia Squadron was sighted sailing individually towards the Northern Mariana Islands (presumably Pagan island), being caught off guard and scattered among German island colonies on routine business. To the west, German ground forces continue their advance towards France – on the 10th, German took Mulhouse in the eponymous battle and perhaps the first true battle of the war – 75,000 men total involved, with approximately 10% casualties.

Casualties after the Battle of Haelen. From Wikipedia

The following day, France declared war on Austria-Hungary, followed the next by the United Kingdom declaring war on the Austrians as well. At Haelen, the Belgium Army, including rifleman riding bicycles, were able to blunt a German cavalry attack. Dozens of horses were killed.

Towards the North, of the 10 U-boats who sailed from their base in Heligoland, 7 returned. One had returned earlier due to mechanical issues, one is missing (presumed sunk), and one was sighted by a British warship sitting on the surface, without lookouts, and the sounds of hammering coming from within – undoubtedly undergoing repairs. The warship promptly rammed the submarine, cut it in two, and sunk it.

On the 14th, the French army executed Plan XVII, an offensive into Germany in Lorraine, directed at Saarburg (French: Sarrebourg) and Morhange. With nominal success, the French have come under intense artillery fire from dug-in German defenders; oddly, the French general has spread his forces out across the front, which would seem to weaken the offensive. Time will tell of the success of Plan XVII.

Grand Duke Nicholas, the Russian Commander-in-Chief, has promised autonomy to Poland after the war. Poland was partitioned between Prussia (now Germany), Austria, and Russia three times between 1764 and 1795, when it ceased to exist.

On the 15th, the Japanese government ordered the German evacuation of Tsingtau, as Japan has plans to occupy the entire region herself. In Africa, German troops have entered the British East Africa colony and occupied Taveta. Oddly, this area has traditionally been an area of British-German friendship – in 1881, British Queen Victoria gave Mount Kilimanjaro away as a wedding present to her grandson, then-Crown Prince and now Emperor of Germany Kaiser Wilhelm II, defining the very border Germany has now attacked.

A combined force of British and French warships has formed a blockade at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea to the east of Italy, and will presumably begin raiding operations against Austro-Hungarian ports in the region. Austria suffered another setback when Serbian scouts discovered Austrian outposts near the mountain Cer; clashes have erupted and as of a little while ago, the Serbians have succeeded in pushing the Austrians back. Earlier today, just off the coast of Antivari, a naval engagement resulted in the Austrian light cruiser Zenta sinking.

To the west, the siege of the fortresses at Liege came to an end as the last fortress surrendered, and the Germans now continue their advance. This delaying action has brought the Entente nearly a week to prepare defenses. Curiously, this siege included Germans dropping bombs from zeppelins – will this indicate the future of warfare?