Strategic Context
The German army invaded Belgium on the morning of August 4, 1914, two days after the decision of the Belgian government not to allow German troops unhindered passage to France.
The Belgian army found itself desperately outnumbered by the Germans and was limited to conduct a fighting retreat from the onset of the invasion. Early on in the campaign, the Belgian army had to relinquish control of the fortified cities of Liège (August 16), the capital Brussels (August 20), and Namur (August 24).
The city of Antwerp was defended by numerous forts and other defensive positions and was at the time considered to be impenetrable by a conventional ground attack. Since about 1860, the Belgian defence doctrine was centered on a retreat to Antwerp to hold off any aggressor until the European powers guaranteeing Belgium's neutrality would be able to intervene. When it became apparent that the Belgian field army would be unable to withstand the massive German offensive, King Albert I of the Belgians implemented the plan to defend the country and instructed a withdrawal to the "National Redoubt of Antwerp" on August 20. The Belgian government subsequently moved from the capital Brussels to Antwerp to avoid their capture by the advancing Germans.
Read more about this topic: Siege Of Antwerp
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