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
You should inform Belgian Government that if pressure is applied to
them by Germany to induce them to depart from neutrality, his
Majesty's Government expects that they will resist by any means in
their power and that his Majesty's Government will support them in
offering such resistance, and that his Majesty's Government in this
event are prepared to join Russia and France.--(British "White
Paper" No. 155.)
Not until England thus stirred Belgium up, holding out the deceptive
hope of effective French and English help, did Belgian fanaticism break
loose against Germany. Without the intervention of England in Brussels
the events in Belgium, one may safely assert, would have taken an
entirely different course, which would have been far more favorable to
Belgium.
But, of course, England had thus found a very useful reason for war
against Germany. Even on the 31st of July Grey had spoken of the
violation of Belgian neutrality as not a decisive factor. On Aug. 1 he
declined to promise Prince Lichnowsky England's neutrality, even if
Germany would not violate Belgium's neutrality. On Aug. 4, however, the
Belgian question was the cause that suddenly drove England to maintain
the moral fabric of the world and to draw the sword.
This suddenly became the new development, which was still
lacking for Grey in order to justify this war before public opinion in
England.
Another English Advantage.
And something else was secured by the drawing of Belgium into the war by
the British Government, which had decided to make war on Germany for
entirely different reasons: the thankful part of the protector of the
weak and the oppressed.
As an English diplomat, when Russia was mobilizing, openly stated, the
interests of his country in Servia were nil, so for Grey even Belgium,
immediately before the break with Germany, was not decisive. However,
when England had irrevocably decided to enter the war it stepped out
before the limelight of the world as the champion of--the small nations.
* * * * *
[02] Recently a book entitled "Why We Make War," in defense of Great
Britain, appeared at Oxford, as the authors of which "Members of the
Faculty for Modern History in Oxford" are mentioned. This work
undertakes, on the ground of the official publications, to whitewash
Grey's policy, and of course incidentally the Russian policy. All
together this publication, parading in the gown of science, is
contradicted by our own presentation of the facts; it may be mentioned
also that this work contains in part positive untruths. Thus it states
on Page 70 (retranslation):
No diplomatic pressure whatever was exerted [by Germany] on Vienna,
which, under the protection of Berlin, was permitted to do with
Servia as she liked.
Grey's own words contradict this assertion.
[03] In the aforementioned book of the Oxford historians there is
stated on Page 69 (retranslation):
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account