At 0800, 4 August, a telegram was sent from the Belgian frontier post at Gemmenich (6 km from Aix-La-Chapelle) to the command at Liege, announcing that German troops had crossed into Belgium. This news was followed by reports from 2nd Lancers that, at 0800, 2 divisions of Von Marwitz's cavalry had violated the frontier north of Liege, heading in the direction of the Meuse River.
The German High Command planned to encircle Liege from the North, East, and South, and to penetrate the city rapdily between the intervals of the forts during the night of 4 to 5 August. Von Der Marwitz's cavalry would complete the investment by circling to the west of Liege to cut supply lines from Namur and Brussels. The Germans had four routes across Belgium from which to choose:
- across Luxembourg, south of the Ardennes to the Meuse valley. This was unfavorable to rapid advance because of the heavy woods and steep roads in this area.
- from the Camp of Elsenborn by Malmedy and Stavelot, across the Ourthe valley in the direction of Huy, Namur, and Dinant. By attacking in this direction, German forces could gain the railways into France.
- from Aix-La-Chapelle via Verviers and the valley of the Vesdre.
- from Aix-La-Chapelle directly to Vise.
The offensive was planned around the last two options. The Army of the Meuse would attack as follows:
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