Germany expected that at the most a day or so would see Belgian resistance broken and the dash on Paris begun. It was not safe to start such a forward rush with Belgium unconquered.

Belgium is a safe country.

We got a bad draw and had to start in the back of the Dash,

The success of the Allies in the west was in a measure offset by Teutonic victories in the east. When the invasion of Belgium began, Russia made immediate efforts to counteract by invasion of East Prussia.

I never rush myself. See, they can't start the game without me.

It was rush, rush, rush, hush, hush, hush from the very start.