Part 4/11:
Perhaps the most devastating series of events occurred in Leuven, which fell into German hands on August 19. After being harassed by Belgian forces, German commanders orchestrated reprisal killings—resulting in hundreds being executed and the city, including its historic buildings, systematically burned to the ground. Eyewitness accounts and international reporting, notably from the New York Tribune, shed light on the tragedies, branding the German army's actions as unforgivable. By the end of this week, over 6,000 civilians had been killed in cold blood.