The offensive Attack was intended to stop Preventing_or_letting Allied use Using of the Belgian port of Antwerp and to split Change the Allied lines , allowing Preventing_or_letting the Germans to encircle Besieging and destroy Destroying four Allied armies and force Causation the Western Allies to negotiate Communication a peace treaty in the Axis powers ' favor .

The Siege of Antwerp ( , , ) was an engagement Forming_relationships between the German and the Belgian , British and French armies around the fortified Cause_change_of_strength city of Antwerp during World War I. German troops besieged Besieging a garrison of Belgian fortress troops , the Belgian field army and the British Royal Naval Division in the Antwerp area , after the German invasion Attack of Belgium in August 1914 .

The Siege of Antwerp ( , , ) was an engagement Forming_relationships between the German and the Belgian , British and French armies around the fortified Cause_change_of_strength city of Antwerp during World War I. German troops besieged Besieging a garrison of Belgian fortress troops , the Belgian field army and the British Royal Naval Division in the Antwerp area , after the German invasion Attack of Belgium in August 1914 .

The Siege of Antwerp ( , , ) was an engagement Forming_relationships between the German and the Belgian , British and French armies around the fortified Cause_change_of_strength city of Antwerp during World War I. German troops besieged Besieging a garrison of Belgian fortress troops , the Belgian field army and the British Royal Naval Division in the Antwerp area , after the German invasion Attack of Belgium in August 1914 .

When the German advance began Process_start to compress a corridor from the west of the city along the Dutch border to the coast , through which the Belgians at Antwerp had maintained contact with the rest of unoccupied Belgium , the Belgian Field Army commenced Process_start a withdrawal westwards towards the coast .

Belgian troops from Antwerp withdrew Escaping to the Yser river , close to the French border and dug in , to begin Process_start the defence of the last unoccupied part of Belgium and fought Quarreling the Battle of the Yser against the German 4th Army in October and November 1914 .

The governor of the Austrian Netherlands , Count Kaunitz , was forced Causation to withdraw Removing his administration north to Antwerp .

The `` race '' ended Process_end on the North Sea coast of Belgium around 19 October , when the last open area from Dixmude to the North Sea was occupied Control by Belgian troops who had retreated Escaping after the Siege of Antwerp ( 28 September – 10 October ) .

In November 1832 , the French besieged Besieging and captured Conquering Antwerp , the last Dutch stronghold Hostile_encounter in Belgium , effectively ending Process_end the military confrontation between the Dutch and Belgians .

The Battle Hostile_encounter of Buggenhout ( 25–29 September 1914 ) was fought Hostile_encounter at the beginning of the First World War Hostile_encounter in Belgium at Buggenhout a municipality between Antwerp , Ghent and Brussels .

The Belgian army sorties Attack from Antwerp against German troops to the south .

The Belgians planned Arranging to exploit Control German troop movements away from Antwerp and to assist Assistance the French army on the Marne .

King Albert I the Belgian Commander in Chief , saw Self_motion that the Germans had strengthened Cause_change_of_strength most of their positions south of Antwerp and reduced Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale the attack Attack to an operation Military_operation against , which had advanced Self_motion from Brussels towards Dendermonde .

The Cavalry Division attacked Attack Aalst from the west but the Belgian sortie Attack was suspended Process_end after German artillery began Process_start a bombardment Attack of the forts of the National redoubt of Belgium ( , ) around Antwerp , preparatory to its own attack Attack .

The government abandoned GiveUp the capital , Brussels , on 17 August and after fighting Hostile_encounter on the Gete river , the Belgian field army withdrew Escaping westwards to the National Redoubt at Antwerp on 19 August .

The III Reserve Corps advanced Cause_to_make_progress to the fortified Cause_change_of_strength zone around Antwerp and a division of the IV Reserve Corps took over Military_operation in Brussels .

On 2 October , the Marine Brigade of the Royal Naval Division was moved Motion to Antwerp , followed by the rest Placing of the division on 6 October .

Despite minor British reinforcement , the Siege of Antwerp ended Process_end when its defensive Defending ring of forts was destroyed Destroying by German super-heavy artillery .

Military operations in Belgium also moved Motion westwards as the Belgian army withdrew Escaping from Antwerp to the area close to the border with France .

Belgium was divided into administrative zones , the General Government of Brussels and its hinterland ; a second zone , under the 4th Army , including Ghent and Antwerp and a third zone under the German Navy along the coastline .