Note 14 — Chapter II · VIOLATIONS OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION

And also justified by the laws of warfare as affecting invasion. Moreover: "The rules which affect a levée en masse (a general rising of the people to repel invaders, without organization) should be generously interpreted. The first duty of a citizen is to defend his country, and provided he does so loyally he should not be treated as a marauder or criminal." The Germans could not at the outset know that there was no levée en masse.—(Trans.)