The Great War - 1: The Great War, Part 1: a little background, history and reasons for the war. To be blunt, there were no valid reasons for this war. This was a war of dying empires...

DrWilk Loc: .

The Great War, Part 1: a little background, history and reasons for the war.

To be blunt, there were no valid reasons for this war. This was a war of dying empires attempting to regain or retain as much land and power as possible and hopefully rebuild their past glory.

On one side was the relatively new nation of Germany. With her was the Austrian-Hungary and Ottoman Empires, both of which were rapidly fading into obscurity. Together these, along with a handful of minor countries, were known as: The Central Powers.

On the other side was the Russian Empire of the Czars, herself dying but still ready to lend a hand to the Baltic nations if they needed it. France remained quite powerful and still owned several colonies in Africa, Asia and South America. Most importantly, she was anxious to regain her provinces of Alsace and Lorraine as well as the pride she had lost in the Franco-Prussia war in 1870-71. Germany, of course, wanted to keep the provinces and was willing to fight for them.

Great Britain was still the worlds largest and most powerful nation with a massive navy and numerous large and wealthy members of her commonwealth.( Australia, India, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa.)

Belgium was a tiny country that considered herself neutral and simply wished to be left alone. Unfortunately she wasnt, and soon found herself at centre stage and immersed in the greatest war the world had ever fought.

Although Great Britain didnt have a treaty with France, it was understood that she would come to Frances aid in case Germany attacked. GB did have a treaty signed with Belgium.

The U. S. was still trying to recover from the Civil War, bring her various states into an integrated nation and build or rebuild her industries, all while dealing with her problems with Mexico, so was essentially considered to be out of any war that should occur.

It seemed that although every nation in Europe knew that a war was inevitable, no one knew when it would happen or even why, let alone what would be the trigger. When the event that did finally trigger the war it almost passed unnoticed on the worlds conscience and would probably have faded into history if it had occurred at any other time or in any other location.

And then we come to little Serbia. Serbia was controlled by the Austria-Hungary Empire and wasnt happy about it. So the Nationalist Black Hand Movement decided to do something about it and unwittingly became the finger that pulled the trigger that started the war.
(to be continued tomorrow)

Obviously not my shot. Ypres Cloth Hall and Cathedral- 1916

Ypres Cloth Hall - 2015

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good DrWilk.

dragonswing Loc: Pa

Very interesting. I can't wait to read the continuation tomorrow.

DrWilk Loc: .

Thanks, ebbote.

ebbote wrote:

Very good DrWilk.

DrWilk Loc: .

Thanks, I hope to continue this each day until November 11th. Hopefully I wont be as long-winded but being an author I find it hard to limit my writing.

dragonswing wrote:

Very interesting. I can't wait to read the continuation tomorrow.

Tangoking Loc: Pa.

Hi
Thank you for this information
I greatly appreciate you taking your time to send this.
I am a retired person. I do Photography work for a Jazz Society that I and my wife belong to. Its a Volunteer position. I also take Parade pictures and give them to the Historical Societies. I have taken Pictures in Churches
of many different Denominations, I did concerts for free.

Thanks again for your Kindness

TangoKing (Paul)

DrWilk Loc: .

You're very welcome, Paul. I hope you enjoy them.
I gather you are new to the forum? I'm sure you'll make alot of friends here, theyre a good group.

Tangoking wrote:

Hi br Thank you for this information br ... (show quote)

dragonswing Loc: Pa

DrWilk wrote:

Thanks, I hope to continue this each day until November 11th. Hopefully I wont be as long-winded but being an author I find it hard to limit my writing.

Be as long winded as you want. Don't skimp on the details.

DrWilk Loc: .

Thanks for the go ahead but you don't know what you've unleashed. I do appreciate your comments. Thanks.

dragonswing wrote:

Be as long winded as you want. Don't skimp on the details.

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

Welcome to the History Corner, DrWilk! I'm looking forward to your views and insights on The Great War. My ramblings about the post-WW II Military Occupation of Germany concern the after-effects of the 1914-1918 conflict, but my self-imposed 500-word limit doesn't permit me to delve into the First War, so I hope to benefit from your work! Go to it!

zaidy

DrWilk wrote:

The Great War, Part 1: a little background, history and reasons for the war.

To be blunt, there were no valid reasons for this war. This was a war of dying empires attempting to regain or retain as much land and power as possible and hopefully rebuild their past glory.

On one side was the relatively new nation of Germany. With her was the Austrian-Hungary and Ottoman Empires, both of which were rapidly fading into obscurity. Together these, along with a handful of minor countries, were known as: The Central Powers.

On the other side was the Russian Empire of the Czars, herself dying but still ready to lend a hand to the Baltic nations if they needed it. France remained quite powerful and still owned several colonies in Africa, Asia and South America. Most importantly, she was anxious to regain her provinces of Alsace and Lorraine as well as the pride she had lost in the Franco-Prussia war in 1870-71. Germany, of course, wanted to keep the provinces and was willing to fight for them.

Great Britain was still the worlds largest and most powerful nation with a massive navy and numerous large and wealthy members of her commonwealth.( Australia, India, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa.)

Belgium was a tiny country that considered herself neutral and simply wished to be left alone. Unfortunately she wasnt, and soon found herself at centre stage and immersed in the greatest war the world had ever fought.

Although Great Britain didnt have a treaty with France, it was understood that she would come to Frances aid in case Germany attacked. GB did have a treaty signed with Belgium.

The U. S. was still trying to recover from the Civil War, bring her various states into an integrated nation and build or rebuild her industries, all while dealing with her problems with Mexico, so was essentially considered to be out of any war that should occur.

It seemed that although every nation in Europe knew that a war was inevitable, no one knew when it would happen or even why, let alone what would be the trigger. When the event that did finally trigger the war it almost passed unnoticed on the worlds conscience and would probably have faded into history if it had occurred at any other time or in any other location.

And then we come to little Serbia. Serbia was controlled by the Austria-Hungary Empire and wasnt happy about it. So the Nationalist Black Hand Movement decided to do something about it and unwittingly became the finger that pulled the trigger that started the war.
(to be continued tomorrow)

The Great War, Part 1: a little background, histor... (show quote)

Why the Russian Empire was "dying"? In 1913 the Russian Empire was at the highest level of industrial and economical development.
What "Baltic states" do you mean? Usually, it refers to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. Sweden was neutral and all other states were the parts of the Russian Empire at that time.

OldEarl Loc: Northeast Kansas

Pretty good analysis. The US, however, had no real cause to become involved. The Zimmerman telegram was probably forged by British intel. The Lusitania was what is called an "armed merchantman" and the Germans took out an ad in the New York Times declaring it a legal target.
As you pointed out, Wilson was busy interfering in the Mexican Revolution and sent an occupation force under Gen Funston in 1914. The US also had acquired Spain's empire and had problems there.

Germany and France were probably due for another Set to. Germany as we know it dates from 1871, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dates from the final demise of the Holy Roman Empire in 1830. And the Brits were looking for an excuse to dismantle the Ottoman Empire.

As Kipling wrote in 1896--
Far called, our navies melt away,
On dune and headland sinks the fire
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre.

Rathyatra Loc: Southport, United Kingdom

Interesting history and great pics!

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

I can scarcely wait for subsequent chapters. Do you have them archived somewhere?

DrWilk Loc: .

Sorry, my spellchecker changed my spelling to Baltic instead of to Balkans and I didn't notice. As for th Russian Empire dying I was referring to the actuality of the imminent demise of Czarist Russia, although they didn't realize it at the time.

zaidy wrote:

Why the Russian Empire was "dying"? In 1913 the Russian Empire was at the highest level of industrial and economical development.
What "Baltic states" do you mean? Usually, it refers to Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. Sweden was neutral and all other states were the parts of the Russian Empire at that time.