ard y ▁and ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Caval ry ▁Division ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁First ▁Army , ▁to ▁which ▁two ▁more ▁divisions ▁were ▁sent ▁later . ▁The ▁German ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁counter - off ensive ▁in ▁Lor raine ▁with ▁the ▁German ▁ 6 th ▁Army ▁and ▁in ▁early ▁September ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁A is ne . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Belg ium ▁ ▁Belg ian ▁military ▁planning ▁assumed ▁that ▁if ▁there ▁was ▁an ▁invasion , ▁the ▁guarantee ing ▁powers ▁of ▁Belg ian ▁neutral ity ▁would ▁ev ict ▁the ▁inv aders . ▁The ▁Belg ian ▁state ▁did ▁not ▁see ▁France ▁and ▁Britain ▁as ▁al lies ▁and ▁Belg ium ▁intended ▁only ▁to ▁protect ▁its ▁independence . ▁The ▁Ang lo - F rench ▁Ent ente ▁( 1 9 0 4 ) ▁led ▁the ▁Bel gi ans ▁to ▁believe ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁saw ▁Belg ium ▁as ▁a ▁British ▁prote ctor ate . ▁A ▁Belg ian ▁General ▁Staff ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁but ▁the ▁, ▁ ▁Harry ▁Jung bl uth , ▁was ▁retired ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁only ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁by ▁ ▁Anton in ▁de ▁S elli ers ▁de ▁Mor an ville . ▁He ▁began ▁planning ▁for ▁the ▁concentration ▁of ▁the ▁army ▁in ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁met ▁with ▁railway ▁officials ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁July . ▁ ▁The ▁field ▁army ▁was ▁to ▁assemble ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁red ou bt