Artillery at Alost

Belgium's defiance in the face of German occupation is poignantly captured in one long take.

Uplifting images of soldiers on the march were a staple of the newsreels during WWI. These Belgian troops seem in good spirits as they convoy artillery reinforcements through the streets of Alost (also known as Aalst) in East Flanders. But their smiles belie the reality: Belgium was woefully ill-equipped to fend off its powerful neighbour and German forces were already well-entrenched.