| “ | Unity makes strength.
— Motto of Belgium
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The Belgian Armed Forces (Dutch: Belgische Defensie; French: Défense Belges; German: Belgische Verteidigung) is the combined military forces of Belgium. It exists of the Land, Air, Marine, and Medical Components.
The Belgian Armed Forces were created in 1830 after Belgium broke away from the Netherlands. Originally it simply existed out of the Garde Civique (Civil Guard), a paramilitary militia, though the need for a professional standing army was soon acknowledged. Through much of its early history, Belgium had a strict policy of neutrality and thus its armed forces were largely used to secure its borders and maintain their hold over the Congo.
On 4 August 1914, Belgium was invaded by the Imperial German Army as part of the Schlieffen Plan to get around the French's defences and break the stalemate. Despite their initial success, the German Army was eventually slowed down as Belgium provided more resistance than expected. On 10 May 1940, Germany under the Nazi regime once again invaded Belgium, this time being more successful and occupying the country until the autumn of 1944, when it was liberated by the Western Allies.
As a founding member of NATO, the Belgian Armed Forces took part in several peacekeeping operations in Africa and the Middle East.
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