2017 Summer Newsletter

Prelude to the Great War By Jim Bousman I f it is possible to fully understand the circumstances sur rounding the beginning of World War 1, it would require a thorough understanding of European History dating back to ancient times. However, the study could start with the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Chapter one of Mi chael Howard’s, The Franco-Prussian War, gives what he called, “The Technical Background” to the war. With the fall of Sedan, France knew the war was over. As a result, France lost the great natural resources of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine; which would remain in German hands until the end of WW1. With the rise of the German Empire after the Franco-Prus sian War and its desire to become a major power in Europe, Germany needed a navy to increase its colonial holdings in order to obtain natural resources and markets for its prod ucts. Although Germany and England had been on peaceful terms, tension between the two countries heightened be cause England’s control of the “waves” was threatened by the increase in German naval power. Germany’s industrial and financial might lead to the build ing of the Berlin to Baghdad railroad for commerce with the Middle East.* Germany then set her eyes on North Africa. These moves threatened the colonial empires of Great Brit ain, France and other European countries. Into this stew pot of political and economic intrigue must be thrown the Balkan States, Ottoman Empire, Japan and Russia. A good source to get a feeling for the basic players in all this in trigue is Catrine Clay’s book King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War which tells the relation ship between the three monarchs and their role in the lead up to war. Between 1871 and the late 1890’s the tension in Europe caused by the ambitions and conflicts of interest divided the antagonist into divided camps. Seeking to maintain a balance of power, Germany, Austria and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. England, France and Russia (Russia

Entente and other countries became the Allies. (Italy did not join the war on August 1, 1914 because Germany and Austria were not attacked.) In 1888, Otto von Bismarck said, “One day the great Euro pean War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans”. Bismarck’s prophesy was fulfilled when Arch duke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were killed by a Serbian assassin on June 28, 1914. Thus, when Germany invaded Belgium on August 4, 1914, Germany and Austria were at war with Belgium, England, France, Russia, and Serbia.

In the United States the majority of people were against becoming involved in European affairs. As a result of such strong public opinion, on August 4, 1914 President Wood row Wilson declared the United States a neutral country. However, President Wilson believed in the freedom of the seas and the right of neutral countries to engage in com merce with all countries. In order to maintain this spirit of neutrality, on August 15, 1914 the U.S. decided not to provide loans to the belligerent countries. The first arrest of German saboteurs by U. S. Officials was in Maine on February 2, 1915 for attacks in Canada. German saboteurs and spies infiltrated the U. S. through Mexico causing damage across the United States. On July 30, 1916, German agents set fire to a complex of warehouses and ships at Black Tom, New Jersey to halt the movement of ammunition to France, England and Russia. The explosion rocked New York City, windows shattered in downtown Manhattan and the noise was heard as far away as Mary land. The property damage was estimated at $20 million (around $377 million today). In March 1917 an explosion at the U. S. Naval Yard at Mare Island, California involved barges filled with munitions, killing 6 and injuring 31. Mili tary Intelligence agents tracked the cause of the explosion to German saboteur Lothar Witzke, who was caught and Page 9

support Serbia if attacked by Austria) formed the Triple En tente. In each alliance, the countries pledged to come to the aide of the other if at tacked. Britain also pledged to aid Belgium if Germany vio lated her neutrality. By 1914, the Triple Alliance became the Central Powers and the Triple

Jim Bousman