History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With MexicoSweeney, William Allison
History
History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico
Sweeney, William Allison
African American soldiers; African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American
"The life-and-death struggle between Germany and the Muscovite
races of Russia is a diplomatic fiction invented after German
Autocracy, taking advantage of the Serbian incident, set forth to
destroy France. It was through no fear of Russia that Germany
violated her solemn treaty obligations by invading the neutrality
of Belgium and Luxemburg. It was through no fear of Russia that
Germany had massed most of her army near the frontiers of France,
leaving only six army corps to hold Russia in check. Germany's
policy as it stands revealed by her military operations was to
crush France and then make terms with Russia. The policy has failed
because of the unexpected resistance of the Belgians and the
refusal of Great Britain to buy peace at the expense of her honor."
A nearer and equally clear view is expressed for the French by M.
Clemenceau, who early in the war said:
"For twenty-five years William II has made Europe live under the
weight of a horrible nightmare. He has found sheer delight in
keeping it in a state of perpetual anxiety over his boastful
utterances of power and the sharpened sword.
"Five threats of war have been launched against us since 1875. At
the sixth he finds himself caught in the toils he had laid for us.
He threatened the very springs of England's power, though she was
more than pacific in her attitude toward him.
"For many years, thanks to him, the Continent has had to join in a
giddy race of armaments, drying up the sources of economic
development and exposing our finances to a crisis which we shrank
from discussing. We must have done with this crowned comedian,
poet, musician, sailor, warrior, pastor; this commentator absorbed
in reconciling Hammurabi with the Bible, giving his opinion on
every problem of philosophy, speaking of everything, saying
nothing." M. Clemenceau summed up the Kaiser as "another Nero; but
Rome in flames is not sufficient for him--he demands the
destruction of the universe."
The Socialist, Upton Sinclair, speaking at the time, blamed Russia as
well as Germany and Austria. He also inclined to the view that the
assassination at Sarajevo was instigated by Austria. He said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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