▁southern ▁fl ank ▁of ▁a ▁German ▁invasion ▁through ▁Belg ium ▁or ▁south wards ▁against ▁the ▁northern ▁fl ank ▁of ▁an ▁attack ▁through ▁Lor raine . ▁No ▁formal ▁provision ▁was ▁made ▁for ▁combined ▁operations ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁( BE F ), ▁but ▁joint ▁arrang ements ▁had ▁been ▁made , ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Mor oc can ▁Cris is , ▁the ▁French ▁had ▁been ▁told ▁that ▁six ▁divisions ▁could ▁be ▁expected ▁to ▁operate ▁around ▁Ma ube uge . ▁ ▁Dec lar ations ▁of ▁war ▁At ▁mid night ▁on ▁ ▁the ▁German ▁government ▁sent ▁an ▁ult imat um ▁to ▁Russia ▁and ▁announced ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁. ▁During ▁the ▁day , ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁government ▁ordered ▁mobil isation , ▁and ▁the ▁London ▁Stock ▁Exchange ▁was ▁closed . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁August , ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁ordered ▁the ▁mobil isation ▁of ▁the ▁n avy , ▁and ▁the ▁German ▁government ▁ordered ▁general ▁mobil isation ▁and ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁Russia . ▁Host ilities ▁comm enced ▁on ▁the ▁Polish ▁front ier , ▁the ▁French ▁government ▁ordered ▁general ▁mobil isation , ▁and ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁the ▁German ▁government ▁sent ▁an ▁ult imat um ▁to ▁Belg ium , ▁demand ing ▁passage ▁through ▁Belg ian ▁territory , ▁as ▁German ▁troops ▁crossed ▁the ▁front ier ▁of ▁Luxemb ourg . ▁Military ▁operations ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁French ▁front ier , ▁Lib au ▁was ▁bomb arded ▁by ▁a ▁German ▁light ▁cru iser ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁guaranteed ▁naval ▁protection ▁for ▁French ▁coast s . ▁On