Current History: The European War.
From the Beginning to March 1915.
"Who Began the War, and Why?"
Published by the New York Times.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTERPageNo
WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
THE CASE FOR GERMANY 209
Speeches by Kaiser Wilhelm II.209
FORGIVES ENEMIES. 210
SPEECH FROM THE THRONE. 210
TO THE GERMAN ARMY AND NAVY. 211
"TO THE LAST BREATH OF MAN AND HORSE." 212
TO GERMAN WOMEN. 211
JOY IN GLORIOUS VICTORY. 212
FIRST SUCCESSFUL BATTLE. 212
A PRAYER FOR VICTORY. 212
"UP AND AT THE FOES." 212
ON VICTORY NEAR METZ. 213
THE SPIRIT OF THE MEN. 213
HIS INDISCRETION WAS "CALCULATED." 213
WILHELM II.'S LETTER TO LORD TWEEDMOUTH. 216
The Mighty Fate of Europe 219
"YOUR HEARTS FOR GOD, YOUR FISTS ON THE ENEMY." 219
AS ONE MAN FOR THE KAISER. 219
DECLARES FOR WAR. 219
STATEMENT TO AMERICA. 222
GERMANY'S ARMAMENTS. 223
Austria-Hungary's Version of the War 225
MANIFESTO. 226
DECLARATION OF WAR. 226
"DAYS OF WORLD'S HISTORY." 226
WILL OF WILHELM II. THAT SWUNG THE SWORD. 226
A PURELY DEFENSIVE WAR. 227
A DISCORDANT NOTE. 227
A German Review of the Evidence 228
I. THE RUSSIAN MOBILIZATION 229
II. GREY'S OMISSIONS AND ERRORS
III. THE AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE 239
IV. BELGIAN NEUTRALITY 242
"Truth About Germany" 244
HOW THE WAR CAME ABOUT. 247
REICHSTAG AND EMPEROR. 251
THE GERMAN MOBILIZATION. 253
ARMY AND NAVY. 255
THE ATTITUDES OF GERMANY'S ENEMIES. 260
LIES ABOUT GERMANY. 263
GERMANY AND THE FOREIGNER. 267
COMMERCE AND TRADE RELATIONS 269
WHO IS TO BE VICTORIOUS? 271
Speculations About Peace, September, 1914
Report to President Wilson. 273
WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
CASE FOR THE TRIPLE ENTENTE 276
FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL.
Speeches by British Ministers. 276
"A CLOUD OVER EUROPE." 277
AUSTRO-SERVIAN CRISIS. 278
A GRAVE SITUATION. 278
RISK OF A CATASTROPHE. 279
OPPOSITION CONCURS. 279
PEACE THE GREAT OBJECT. 279
RUSSIA'S MOBILIZATION. 280
THE GERMAN INVASION. 280
PEACE OF EUROPE CANNOT BE PRESERVED.
Sir Edward Grey's Speech in the House of Commons
Aug. 3. 282
GERMANY AND BELGIUM. 290
UNHESITATING SUPPORT. 291
CHANGED IRISH FEELING. 291
GREAT BRITAIN'S ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY. 292
PENETRATION OF BELGIAN TERRITORY. 293
Great Britain's Mobilization 294
KING TO BRITAIN'S FLEET. 294
NAPOLEONISM ONCE AGAIN. 295
A COUNTERSTROKE. 298
IMPERIAL MESSAGE TO THE BRITISH DOMINIONS. 298
438,000 MEN RECRUITED. 299
EARL KITCHENER'S SPEECH ON RECRUITS 304
PARLIAMENT PROROGUED. 307
Summons of the Nation to Arms 308
PRIME MINISTER'S LETTER. 309
MR. ASQUITH IN LONDON. 309
GERMANY SPEAKS. 314
GREAT BRITAIN REPLIES. 314
MR. ASQUITH AT EDINBURGH. 316
MR. ASQUITH AT DUBLIN. 320
MR. ASQUITH AT CARDIFF. 325
LORD CURZON'S EXPERIENCE. 329
NOW THE WAR HAS COME. 331
THE GREAT WAR. 336
Teachings of Gen. von Bernhardi 343
Entrance of France Into War 350
NEUTRALIZED STATE RESPECTED. 350
THE NATION IN ARMS. 351
POSITION OF THE REPUBLIC. 351
BEFORE THE MARNE BATTLE. 357
Russia to Her Enemy
Slav Emperor Announces New Policies. 358
A MANIFESTO. 358
CZAR AT THE KREMLIN. 359
APPEAL TO THE POLES. 359
THE POLISH RESPONSE. 359
NO ALLIANCE WITH GERMANY 360
POLISH AMERICAN OPINION. 360
RUSSIA AGAINST GERMANY. 361
DUMA'S MESSAGE TO BRITAIN. 361
NEW POLICY AND THE JEWS. 361
FOE TO GERMAN MILITARISM. 363
NOT A QUESTION OF SLAV PREDOMINANCE. 363
RUSSIA'S "LITTLE BROTHER." 365
"The Facts About Belgium" 365
Belgo-British Plot Alleged by Germany 369
GREAT BRITAIN'S DENIAL. 370
REPLY TO GREAT BRITAIN. 371
GRAY BOOK'S TESTIMONY. 371
BELGIUM'S ANSWER. 372
WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
Atrocities of the War 374
THE POPE'S DYING WORDS. 374
GERMAN KAISER'S PROTEST. 374
REPLY TO THE KAISER. 375
CHARGE AGAINST GERMANY. 375
M. DELCASSE'S NOTE. 376
THE BELGIAN MISSION. 376
M. DE WIART'S ADDRESS. 376
PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY. 377
OFFICIAL SUMMARY.
Belgian Royal Commission Report presented to President Wilson at Washington, Sept. 16. 378
I. Acts at Linsmeau and Orsmael. 378
II. Report on Aerschot. 379
III. Destruction of Louvain. 381
FURTHER REPORTS. 385
A SUPPLEMENT. 385
"NOT A WORD OF TRUTH." 388
GERMANY'S VERSIONS. 388
LOUVAIN'S ART TREASURES. 390
Bombardment of Rheims Cathedral 392
POPE BENEDICT SILENT. 392
ATTACK NOT WILLFUL. 392
"SPARE THE CATHEDRAL." 392
THE FRENCH ARE BLAMED 393
WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
The Socialists' Part 397
HOW INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISTS ARMED AGAINST EACH OTHER. 397
"ENVOY OF MY PARTY." 398
MINISTER JULES GUESDE. 398
"REVOLUTION!" 399
COMPOSURE IS NECESSARY. 400
PRESSURE FOR PEACE. 401
HUGO HAASE AT BRUSSELS. 401
HAASE IN THE REICHSTAG. 401
GERMAN SOCIALISTS DIVIDED. 402
SOCIALISTS STILL GERMANS. 402
"CRITIQUE OF WEAPONS." 405
SOCIALISTS OF ITALY FIRM. 408
BRITISH MANIFESTO. 409
KEIR HARDIE'S QUESTIONS. 410
REPLY TO MINISTER GREY. 411
MR. MACDONALD REPENTS. 411
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
WILHELM II.
AUGUSTA VICTORIA
T. VON BETHMANN-HOLLWEG
COUNT LEOPOLD BERCHTOLD.
SIR EDWARD GREY
W.L. SPENCER CHURCHILL
RENE VIVIANI
STATE COUNCILLOR SAZONOF
HIS HOLINESS THE LATE POPE PIUS X.
WOODROW WILSON
ALBERT KING OF THE BELGIANS
CARTON DE WIART
PHILIPP SCHEIDEMANN
JULES GUESDE
EMIL VAN DER VELDE
KEIR HARDIE M.P.
WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY?
THE CASE FOR GERMANY
SPEECHES BY KAISER WILHELM II.
From the Balcony of the Palace, Berlin, July 31, 1914.
A fateful hour has fallen for Germany.
Envious peoples everywhere are compelling us to our just defense.
The sword is being forced into our hand. I hope that if my efforts at the last hour do not succeed
War would demand enormous sacrifices of blood and property from the German people, but we should show our enemies what it means to provoke Germany.
And now I commend you to God. Go to church. Kneel down before God and pray for His help for our gallant Army.
FORGIVES ENEMIES.
Kaiser Wilhelm's Speech from the Balcony of the Palace, Berlin, Aug. 2.
I thank you for the love and loyalty shown me. When I enter upon a fight let all party strife cease. We are German brothers and nothing else. All parties have attacked me in times of peace. I forgive them with all my heart. I hope and wish that the good German sword will emerge victorious in the right.
SPEECH FROM THE THRONE.
Kaiser Wilhelm II., Opening Special Session of the Reichstag in White Room of the Royal Palace, Berlin, Aug. 4.
WILHELM II., German Emperor.
(Photo from Charles E. Ritzmann.)
Honored Sirs: It is in an hour fraught with fate that I have assembled about me all the representatives of the German people. For almost half a century we have been able to keep to the path of peace. The attempts to attribute a warlike temperament to Germany and to circumscribe its position in the world have often put to severe tests the patience of our people. With unswerving honesty, my Government, even in provoking circumstances, has pursued as its highest aim the development of all moral, spiritual, and economic powers. The world has been witness how tirelessly we strove in the first rank during the pressure and confusion of the last few years to spare the nations of Europe a war between the great powers.
The very grave dangers which had arisen owing to the events in the Balkans appeared to have been overcome, but then the murder of my friend, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, opened up a great abyss. My high ally, the Emperor and King Francis Joseph, was compelled to take up arms to defend the security of his empire against dangerous intrigues from a neighboring State. In the pursuit of her proper interests the Dual Monarchy has found her path obstructed by the Russian Empire. Not only our duty as an ally calls us to the side of Austria-Hungary, but on us falls also the mighty task of defending the ancient community of culture of the two kingdoms and our own position in the world against the attack of hostile powers. With a heavy heart I have been compelled to mobilize my army against a neighbor with whom it has fought side by side on so many fields of battle. With sincere sorrow I saw a friendship broken of which Germany had given faithful proofs. The Imperial Russian Government, yielding to the pressure of an insatiable nationalism, has taken sides with a State which by encouraging criminal attacks has brought on the evil of this war. That France, also, placed herself on the side of our enemies could not surprise us. Too often have our efforts to arrive at friendlier relations with the French Republic come in collision with old hopes and ancient malice.
Honored Sirs: What human insight and power could do to arm a people against the last extremities has been done with your patriotic help. The hostility which has been smouldering for a long time in the East and in the West has now burst into bright flames. The present situation did not proceed from transient conflicts of interest or diplomatic entanglements, it is the result of an ill will which has for many years been active against the strength and the prosperity of the German Empire. We are not incited by lust for conquest, we are inspired by the unyielding determination to keep for ourselves and all future generations the place which God has given us.
From the proofs which have been given you, you will see how my Government, and especially my Chancellor, strove up to the last moment to avert the worst. We grasp the sword in compulsory self-defense, with clean hands and a clean conscience.
To the peoples and races of the German Empire my call goes forth to defend with all their strength and in brotherly co-operation with our ally that which we have created by peaceful labor. After the example of our fathers, firmly and faithfully, sincerely and with chivalry, humbly before God and battling joyfully before the enemy, let us place our trust in the eternal Omnipotence, and may He strengthen our defense and bring it to a good end!
To you, honored sirs, the whole German people, assembled about its Princes and its leaders, look this day. Make your decision unanimously and quickly. That is my heartfelt wish.
Gentlemen (addressing the Deputies directly): You have read what I said to my people the other day from the balcony of my castle. I repeat now that I no longer know any parties. I know only Germans. And in order to testify that you are firmly resolved without distinction of party to stand by my side through danger and death, I call upon the leaders of the different parties in this House to come forward and lay their hands in mine as a pledge.
TO THE GERMAN ARMY AND NAVY.
Proclamation by Kaiser Wilhelm II.
After three and forty years of peace I call the men of Germany to arms.
It has become necessary to protect our most sacred possessions, the Fatherland, our very hearths against ruthless destruction.
Enemies on every hand! That is the situation. A mighty struggle, a great sacrifice confronts us.
I trust that the old spirit of battle still lives on in the German people, that powerful spirit of battle which grapples with the foe wherever it meets it, be the cost what it may, which has ever been the terror and fear of our enemies.
Soldiers of Germany, in you I place my trust! In each one of you lives the passionate will to conquer, which nothing can subdue. Each one of you knows, if need be, how to die a hero's death.
Remember our great and glorious past!
Remember that you are Germans!
God help us!
WILHELM.
Berlin, Schloss, Aug. 6, 1914.
TO GERMAN WOMEN.
An Appeal from the Kaiserin.