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
The entire German people are united as never before in their history.
Even 101 years ago, in 1813, the entire population cannot have been so
uniformly seized by the spirit of war as at the outbreak of this
struggle, which is the people's war in the truest sense of the word, and
which was predicted by Bismarck. All reigning Princes are going out to
fight with the army and have appointed their wives as regents. Instances
include the Kaiser's son-in-law, the Duke of Brunswick, who appointed
his consort, the only daughter of the Emperor, as regent. The Princes
call their people to arms, and they themselves all stand ready to
sacrifice all they have. This example from above carries the nation with
them. The Reichstag knew parties and factions no more, and neither does
the nation. The Emperor sounded the word which has become common
property from Koenigsberg to Constance, from Upper Silesia to the Belgian
frontier: "I know only Germans!" And yet how terribly is our nation
otherwise disrupted by party strife. Ill-advised persons across our
frontiers hoped that creed differences would make for disunion,
Frenchmen and Russians expected to weaken our empire with the aid of
Alsatians and Poles. This hope has been destroyed--we are a united
people, as united as was the Reichstag, the Socialists included. The
latter have for years voted against all army and navy appropriations,
have advocated international peace, and last year voted against the
bills increasing the army strength. In many foreign quarters strong
hopes were nourished that this party would help them. But those men did
not know our German people. Our civilization, our independence as a
nation was threatened, and in that moment party interest or creed
existed no more. The true German heart is beating only for the
Fatherland, east and west, north and south, Protestants, Catholics, and
Jews are "a united people of brethren in the hour of danger." When
Germany was so threatened by Russia, when the German "Peace Emperor" was
shamefully betrayed by the Czar of all the Russians, then there was but
one sacred party in existence: The party of Germans.
* * * * *
THE GERMAN MOBILIZATION.
The clockworks of mobilization; perfect order and quiet
everywhere--General acceptance by all classes and factions of the
necessities of a war not sought by Germany.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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