Tragic and Glorious Anniversary of Haelen, 12 August 1914

Overview:

Through animated maps, this film shows the different steps involved in the Battle of Haelen. Haelen was a cavalry battle on the Western Front at the beginning of World War I, taking place on August 12, 1914 between German and Belgian forces. Although a Belgian victory, it was of little strategic importance since the German troups captured most of Belgium over the next few months. What is more, the battle demonstrated the irrelevancy of mounted cavalry charges in modern warfare. Besides a few shots of members of the cavalry, there are no images of Haelen and environs.