The most important war in modern history.
No one’s asking what Austria’s plans are?
Even to this day we’re dealing with the blowback from WW I and how the borders were redrawn afterward.
France and England's method of peace lasted barely 20 years. The peace of the "unsophisticated" Americans lasted over 60 years.
Ah yes, the Treaty of Versailles—punishment. That is always such a successful strategy, isn’t it? (rhetorical)
Wow. Was just watching a movie about the Red Barron the other day. Very interesting chap, apparently. Still a mystery how he died.
IMHO, the real problem is that they'll succeed in sweeping it under the rug. Nobody gives a hoot about history anymore...but our modern culture is obsessed with Miley Cyrus and the Kardashians.
WW I was the beginning of the end of European culture. The genetic losses of 1914-45 can never be replaced. Migrants from Africa and the Mideast are forever transforming Europe.
............................................George Santayana
Don’t forget the Franco-Prussian War.
The Frogs were spoiling for a fight for over 50 years after they got the “Atomic Wedgie” from the Krauts and lost Alsace-Lorraine ...
Set the stage for WWI. Treaty of Versailles punitive provisions set the stage for WWII.
Goddamn Frogs ...
I thought Von Richthofen had a huge mausoleum?
There is an excellent new book on the causes of WWI - “The Sleepwalkers” by Christopher Clark. Supposed to be the definitive account on the origins of the war.
Gave it to my uncle for Christmas. Can’t wait to read it.
It’s important to note that the course of the war had several important variables, which made all the difference in the world.
1. It was the last war of the monarchs. Under the brilliant leadership of Otto Von Bismarck, Germany had unified, and whereas before it was sneered at by Europe as a group of agrarian peasants, it had come together as a power in Europe.
This was not appreciated by the other powers, especially France, lead by the egotistical buffoon Napoleon III, who had been elected president, then arranged a coup so he would be declared Emperor. After foolishly challenging President Grant (and his Union Army) in Mexico, he decided to show the Germans who was boss.
With a little trickery, he was snookered into declaring war and invading Germany with an unprepared army, who met him with a prepared army and quickly deposed him. But then, against the advice of Bismarck, the German Emperor Wilhelm II was persuaded to take a piece of France as punishment, which enraged the French against the Germans.
2) Before the war, half of Europe was making treaties with each other; as was the other half, setting up two competing mutual defense pacts. Then everybody started building battleships like there was no tomorrow.
3) The US was set to be a neutral power, but it had a lot of connections with both Britain and Germany. But Britain had something Germany did not, an undersea cable to the US, which only conveyed the British point of view, as well as a lot of propaganda against the Germans.
This wasn’t helped by German ignorance of the US, especially when they asked Mexico for an alliance against the US (The Zimmermann Telegram), which was intercepted by the British, who let the Americans know.
4) Last but not least was US president Woodrow Wilson, a charmingly progressive combination of ignorance and arrogance, self-importance and racism, and who was surrounded by a dense cabal of like minded Democrats.