Germany opened the Western front by invading Luxembourg and Belgium in early August 1914, causing great suffering among the civilian population. Indeed, Germany was later accused of war crimes, particularly since Belgium was a neutral country. Occupying strategic industrial regions in France toward the end of August, Germany was able to fortify its positions, which remained fairly constant throughout the war. The war on the Western front was fought in fortified trenches, reaching from the North Sea to the Swiss border. These soldiers fought not only against the enemy but also against the rats, lice, disease, and mud that shared the trenches with them.
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