Life — December 24, 1914 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Life of Belgium—1914" This page satirizes Belgium's situation during World War I's opening months. The illustrated header shows figures holding up letters spelling "LIFE," depicting Belgium's struggle. The poem narrates how Belgian Queen Kate Barlass (a historical reference to a Scottish queen) defended her nation against German invasion, "thrust her arm through empty staples 'gainst the murderous band." Belgium "kissed her sword-cross, took her stand" with honor despite military disadvantage. The photograph below shows what appears to be a dramatic domestic scene, captioned with General Lafayette apologizing that he cannot keep up with "future history"—a joke about how rapidly the war is unfolding and how many nations Belgium must host. The satire celebrates Belgium's courageous resistance against overwhelming German military power in 1914.