American poet and playwright Percy MacKaye (1875–1956) published and produced dramas and performed commemorative poems, hoping “poetry might regain its oral importance in American culture.” His engagement with open-air civic performances involving thousands of citizens and drawing large audiences was interrupted by the war.

Smigel, Libby. “MacKaye, Percy (1875-1956), poet and playwright.” In American National Biography. February 1, 2000. https://www.anb.org/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-1800771.

Neutral Belgium was forced into the war when Germany issued an ultimatum to allow German troops heading for France right of passage. Belgium refused, and on August 3, Germany invaded with overwhelming weaponry. Half of the 26,000 Belgian military killed during the war were killed from early August to early November, 1914. Sophie De Schaepdrijver discusses “explosions of virulent paranoia” and massacres that civilians experienced during the same months.

De Schaepdrijver, Sophie. “Belgium.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published July 18, 2018. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/belgium.

Tories were British Conservatives who supported joining the war.