A Military Thoroughfare?: The Legacy of the Franco-Prussian War on Belgian Neutrality

This chapter considers the effect of the Franco-Prussian War on the development of Belgian military policy and neutrality after 1871. In particular, it focuses on the thorny issue of Belgian fortress policy following the realisation that the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine would likely make Belgium the preferred route for a transitory invasion in the next Franco-German conflict. Against the backdrop of political machinations seeking to limit military expenditure, the army faced an uphill battle to adequately prepare the nation for a future war, which Belgian neutrality by itself would likely be unable to prevent.