Half of Belgium last week rose against King Leopold III, who had returned to the throne the week before. More than half a million workers walked out in a general strike called by Paul-Henri Spaak's Socialist Party. All Belgian steel mills, most coal mines and many industrial plants were closed. The great port of Antwerp was dead. Airline flights into and out of the country were canceled. Sabotage hindered railroad traffic and communications were interrupted. Electric power was cut off in many places.
In Brussels, streetcar motormen who defied strike orders were blocked by throngs on the tracks who threw...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
