Post by SeventhSeal17 on May 8, 2007 21:43:36 GMT -5
“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.” ~Voltaire, War
World War I:
Cause and Effect
D. R. Munro
History’s redheaded stepchild of it’s younger but no more brutal brother, World War II; the events leading to the worlds first total war are incredibly simple and are best examined in a cause and effect manner. The first, and most profound cause, was what is known as the “Alliance System”. Which basically boils down to a mutual protection pact between two opposing groups: the Allies and the Central Powers. Think of it more as a domino effect then an actual war brought on by, say, the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It went like this: After the Franco-Prussian war, which Otto von Bismarck crafted to unify Germany, many a secret alliance began forming in Europe. Jump ahead to a sunny afternoon in June 1914 in the Serbian town of Sarajevo where the young heir to throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was conducting a political visit on behalf of his father, Emperor Franz Josef. Riding in an open-air car he and his wife were both shot dead by a Serbian Nationalist group known as the Black Hand. This single seemingly unimportant event set in motion what would lead to the first global clash of arms.
In order to save face Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to the crown of Serbia ordering them the hand over members of the Black Hand to the Austro-Hungarian government to punish how they saw fit. If they didn’t comply the result would be war. The reasoning behind this is not what the facade would indicate. The Emperor or any other arm of the Austro-Hungarian government by no means loved Franz Ferdinand. Austria-Hungary had long since wanted to extend its influence into the Balkan region but had no means of doing so. With the assassination of Franz Ferdinand they now had an excuse, thus ordering that Serbia answer to an incredibly demeaning and disrespectful ultimatum. All the while knowing full well they would never comply.
The next piece of the puzzle lies in what is called the Pan-Slavic movement. Which basically forged an “alliance” between all countries of Slavic ethnic background. This included the giant, but largely inept, country of Russia; also included was a small Balkan country called Serbia. This Pan-Slavic movement was no secret and the Austro-Hungarian crown feared Russia’s backing of Serbia. Thus she turned to her ally, Germany, to ensure support if the Russians ever launched an invasion with the objective to seize Vienna. Germany, the traditional warmonger she is, agreed; even encouraged an Austro-Hungarian attack on Serbia.
So now the stage is set. What happens next is quite remarkable; on 28 July 1914 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Russia, bound by a treaty with Serbia followed up with the mobilization of her armies. Due to the above-mentioned treaty, Germany viewed the massive build-up of Russian forces as an act of war against Austria-Hungary. She declares war on 1 August 1914. France now finds herself at war with Germany due to a secret treaty signed with Russia, by association she is also now at war with Austria-Hungary. The entry of Britain proves more convoluted. While she pledged to defend France against invaders she was not obligated to declare war on behalf of France. She was, however, required to declare war on Germany upon German entry into Belgium due to a treaty that was nearly 100 years old. With British entry into the war came all of her dominions: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Japan, bound by treaty to Britain, declares war on Germany on 23 August 1914. In effect, what should have been a footnote in history precipitated one of the greatest wars the world has ever seen. There is no finer example of cause and effect. By 7 October 1917, thirty-two nations will be pulled into the conflict. Entire cities had been burned to the ground; Russia under goes a major revolution that would in itself change the world. The world watches as 8,538,315 of its sons and fathers are massacred.
If we zoom out and look at the even bigger picture there is one more cause and effect that pertains to World War I. This one is even bigger than the war itself.
Cause: The Treaty of Versailles.
Effect: World War II
World War I was a great war. It saw the advent of mechanized warfare, the first use of aircrafts as a viable military weapon, the creation of the flamethrower, poison gases, and machine guns. Brought the few remaining empires to their collective knees, and proved just how despicable men can be.
What is often overlooked is just how “The Great War” set the stage for nearly all violence that would follow in the twentieth century. Upon the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in November 1918 a new map of the world was forged. The current issues with the Middle East directly stem from World War I, and to a greater extent the war that would follow in 1939.
THIS IS MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU MAY NOT USE IN PART OR WHOLE ANYWHERE.
World War I:
Cause and Effect
D. R. Munro
History’s redheaded stepchild of it’s younger but no more brutal brother, World War II; the events leading to the worlds first total war are incredibly simple and are best examined in a cause and effect manner. The first, and most profound cause, was what is known as the “Alliance System”. Which basically boils down to a mutual protection pact between two opposing groups: the Allies and the Central Powers. Think of it more as a domino effect then an actual war brought on by, say, the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It went like this: After the Franco-Prussian war, which Otto von Bismarck crafted to unify Germany, many a secret alliance began forming in Europe. Jump ahead to a sunny afternoon in June 1914 in the Serbian town of Sarajevo where the young heir to throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was conducting a political visit on behalf of his father, Emperor Franz Josef. Riding in an open-air car he and his wife were both shot dead by a Serbian Nationalist group known as the Black Hand. This single seemingly unimportant event set in motion what would lead to the first global clash of arms.
In order to save face Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to the crown of Serbia ordering them the hand over members of the Black Hand to the Austro-Hungarian government to punish how they saw fit. If they didn’t comply the result would be war. The reasoning behind this is not what the facade would indicate. The Emperor or any other arm of the Austro-Hungarian government by no means loved Franz Ferdinand. Austria-Hungary had long since wanted to extend its influence into the Balkan region but had no means of doing so. With the assassination of Franz Ferdinand they now had an excuse, thus ordering that Serbia answer to an incredibly demeaning and disrespectful ultimatum. All the while knowing full well they would never comply.
The next piece of the puzzle lies in what is called the Pan-Slavic movement. Which basically forged an “alliance” between all countries of Slavic ethnic background. This included the giant, but largely inept, country of Russia; also included was a small Balkan country called Serbia. This Pan-Slavic movement was no secret and the Austro-Hungarian crown feared Russia’s backing of Serbia. Thus she turned to her ally, Germany, to ensure support if the Russians ever launched an invasion with the objective to seize Vienna. Germany, the traditional warmonger she is, agreed; even encouraged an Austro-Hungarian attack on Serbia.
So now the stage is set. What happens next is quite remarkable; on 28 July 1914 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Russia, bound by a treaty with Serbia followed up with the mobilization of her armies. Due to the above-mentioned treaty, Germany viewed the massive build-up of Russian forces as an act of war against Austria-Hungary. She declares war on 1 August 1914. France now finds herself at war with Germany due to a secret treaty signed with Russia, by association she is also now at war with Austria-Hungary. The entry of Britain proves more convoluted. While she pledged to defend France against invaders she was not obligated to declare war on behalf of France. She was, however, required to declare war on Germany upon German entry into Belgium due to a treaty that was nearly 100 years old. With British entry into the war came all of her dominions: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Japan, bound by treaty to Britain, declares war on Germany on 23 August 1914. In effect, what should have been a footnote in history precipitated one of the greatest wars the world has ever seen. There is no finer example of cause and effect. By 7 October 1917, thirty-two nations will be pulled into the conflict. Entire cities had been burned to the ground; Russia under goes a major revolution that would in itself change the world. The world watches as 8,538,315 of its sons and fathers are massacred.
If we zoom out and look at the even bigger picture there is one more cause and effect that pertains to World War I. This one is even bigger than the war itself.
Cause: The Treaty of Versailles.
Effect: World War II
World War I was a great war. It saw the advent of mechanized warfare, the first use of aircrafts as a viable military weapon, the creation of the flamethrower, poison gases, and machine guns. Brought the few remaining empires to their collective knees, and proved just how despicable men can be.
What is often overlooked is just how “The Great War” set the stage for nearly all violence that would follow in the twentieth century. Upon the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in November 1918 a new map of the world was forged. The current issues with the Middle East directly stem from World War I, and to a greater extent the war that would follow in 1939.
THIS IS MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU MAY NOT USE IN PART OR WHOLE ANYWHERE.