100 years ago: the beginning of WWI. The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime. - Secretary Sir Edward Grey: Twenty-Five Years 1892-1916, Vol. 2 100 years ago the German Kaiser Wilhelm II declared War on Russia. On 6 August 1914 he recorded this Address To The German People!. This is his voice (read English translation below). Following the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife in Sarajevo, the Danube monarchy felt challenged in its position as a great power. Austria-Hungary was convinced that the neighbouring state of Serbia was behind the attack. However, there was no proof that the Serbian Government had been involved in the assassination or had known anything about it. Nevertheless, Vienna decided to issue a tough ultimatum to Serbia in the expectation, and indeed hope, that this would be rejected. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany received a copy of the Serbian reply - which was surprisingly positive! - on 28 July 1914. On it, he wrote “A great moral success for Vienna, but with it all reason for war is gone... I would never have recommended mobilisation on this basis!” However, Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia on the same day. The declaration of war set a tragic chain reaction in motion. Russia ordered its troops to mobilise and the Kaiser asked the Czar to stop - but he did not. Germany felt threatened by this, and declared war against Russia on 1 August. On 3 August, Germany then declared war against France, which was allied with Russia. When the German army followed the plan devised by its former Chief of General Staff, Count Schlieffen, and invaded neutral Belgium before launching its offensive into France, Britain felt under threat and entered the war on August 4. This marked the start of the European war that gradually turned into a world war, the first major human made catastrophe of the 20th Century... English translation: Since the founding of the Empire, through a period of 43 years, it has been my zealous endeavour and the endeavour of my ancestors to preserve peace to the world and in peace to promote our vigorous development. But our enemy envy us the success of our toil. All professed and secret hostility from the East and West and from beyond the sea we have till now borne in the contentiousness of our responsibility and power. Now however our opponents desire to humble us. They demand that we look on with folded arms while our enemies gird themselves for treacherous attack. They will not tolerate that we support our ally with unshaken loyalty who fights for her prestige as a great power and with whose abasement our power and honour are likewise lost. Therefore the sword must decide! In the midst of peace the enemy attacks us! Therefore up! To arms! All hesitation or delay were treachery to the Fatherland! It is the question of existence or non-existence of the realm which our fathers founded anew. It is a question of existence or nonexistence of German might and German culture. We shall defend ourselves to the last breath of man and horse. And we shall survive this fight even though it was against the world of enemies. Never yet Germany was conquered when she was united. Then forward march with God! He will be with us as He was with our fathers!
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:39:59 +0000
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