Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights:#1 Each nation organized its armed forces to fit the strategies that it expected to use to secure its intended national objectives. The pre-war development of artillery techniques and technology reflected these assumptions.#2 The Germans had planned to attack France head-on in 1870, but the French had upgraded their defenses and increased their army size to fill the gaps between the upgraded forts. In 1900, the French had refortified their frontier and increased the size of their army to protect it.#3 The German siege train was made up of five heavy mortars that could lob 800kg shells a distance of 9km. The Belgians were able to resist the Germans because the fortifications were inadequate due to the use of mediocre concrete.#4 The Belgian forts were outdated, and they were easily destroyed by the German shelling. The forts were helpless against the more modern and powerful shells.