New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?Various
History
New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?
Various
World War, 1914-1918
Franz Ferdinand could afford to agree to this plan most readily, because
he knew that Austria in her present state could not continue her
existence, as she was on the brink of an insurrection of 25,000,000
Austrian Slavs against the continuance of a Government over them of
9,000,000 Austrian Germans. There is no doubt that this question was
fully discussed at the conference at Konopish, where the German Emperor,
accompanied by Admiral von Tirpitz, went to pay a visit to Franz
Ferdinand one month before the latter was assassinated.
The tragedy of Serajevo found Germany after a course of action already
had been agreed upon, and the sending of the ultimatum by Austria to
Servia can be explained only by the desire of the two nations to fully
complete their preparations.
Now, why do we find at this important moment of the world's history such
opposition not only against Germany but also an upheaval of other
nations?
The German press of the United States endeavors to prove that the
underlying reason for the struggle is the eventual triumph in Europe
either of Teutonic or Slavish civilization, and denounces Russian
barbarism and extols German culture.
I will not discuss the respective merits of Teutonic and Slavic culture
and civilization, as in my opinion these are questions absolutely
foreign to the events leading up to the war. The Russian, French,
English, and Servian nations are not fighting against German culture,
as represented by intellectual giants, such as Goethe, Wagner, and many
others, but against German militarism, accompanied by systematic
oppression of the individual residing in German territory.
This internal German policy created a national spirit against which the
Allies now are fighting--the national spirit of Germany, which the whole
world knows, and which is rough, conceited, arrogant, and intolerant
toward foreigners beyond all measures, and admits nothing good unless it
is German or made in Germany. This kind of German national spirit is in
the majority in the empire of Germany and particularly in Prussia; the
real cultured, good-hearted, sentimental German is about to die out
completely, and the few remaining representatives of this type have no
voice in Germany.
The pronounced antipathy to the above-described present majority type of
Germans united all European nations against Germany, and supports their
respective Governments in their efforts to put a stop to the furor
teutonicus of the twentieth century.
For this reason the task of the allied Governments will find unlimited
support of the nations and this war against Germany in Europe will prove
to be most popular.
* * * * *
RUSSIA'S "LITTLE BROTHER."
Statement by George Bakhmeteff, Russian Ambassador to the United
States, New York, Oct. 11.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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