IB HISTORY 11 | DISC ASSIGNMENT ORIGINS OF THE GREAT WAR
NAME: ______BLOCK: _____ DATE: ______
D.I.S.C. ASSIGNMENT:
Origins of the Great War
" The ignoble clown! Vile dog's excrement! England alone bears the responsibility for war or peace and it is no longer we! This must be proved publicly!.”
– Kaiser Willem II, 1914
" "The Allied and Associated Governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her Allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associate Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of a war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her Allies.".”
– Article 231, “War Guilt Clause,” Treaty of Versailles, 1919
INTRODUCTION:
2
DEBATE | INQUIRE | SHARE IDEAS | CONCLUDE
IB HISTORY 11 | DISC ASSIGNMENT ORIGINS OF THE GREAT WAR
Arguably, the Great War of 1914 to 1918 was the most cataclysmic event of the twentieth century. It was responsible for the destruction of four world empires, and the rise of a new global power – the United States. The conflict spawned fascist dictatorships, communist revolution, a world wide economic collapse in the 1930s, and ultimately, a second, more destructive world war. Little wonder that the generation who fought in the first world war of the modern age thought of themselves as the “lost generation.” It changed humanity’s unquestioned belief in progress, demonstrated the destructive capacity of modern technology and completely transformed social values. At the end of it all, Germany was blamed for causing the war and forced to compensate Europe for its losses – a circumstance that left the German people embittered by the 1930s and ready to support a aggressive Nazi regime. In this way, and in others then, the origins of the First World War are linked to the causes of the second and the debate among diplomats and historians concerning responsibility for the war’s outbreak has raged continually since 1914.
The important historical questions to ask are why did the war occur and who was responsible? Was one nation and its policy makers responsible for the onset of this destructive conflict? Was the verdict reached at the Versailles Conference in 1919 a “fair and just” peace?
2
DEBATE | INQUIRE | SHARE IDEAS | CONCLUDE
IB HISTORY 11 | DISC ASSIGNMENT ORIGINS OF THE GREAT WAR
TASKS:
1. Carefully read the enclosed documents and sources, and answer the questions that accompany them.
2. Consider the DISC question as you read, then collect evidence on the Data Collection Chart in support of a position you think is best supported by historical evidence.
3. Come prepared to debate and discuss the question in class and then write your final conclusion on this issue after considering different perspectives.
MAP: Europe in 1914
SOURCE A / Extract from: Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg (the German Imperial Chancellor) appeared before the Reichstag on August 4, 1914, just after the German invasion of Belgium, to define the German war position.A stupendous fate is breaking over Europe. For forty-four years, since the time we fought for and won the German Empire and our position in the world, we have lived in peace and have protected the peace of Europe. In the works of peace we have become strong and powerful, and have thus aroused the envy of others. With patience we have faced the fact that, under the pretense that Germany was desirous of war, enmity has been awakened against us in the East and the West, and chains have been fashioned for us. The wind then sown has brought forth the whirlwind which has now broken loose. We wished to continue our work of peace, and, like a silent vow, the feeling that animated everyone from the Emperor down to the youngest soldier was this: Only in defense of a just cause shall our sword fly from its scabbard. The day has now come when we must draw it, against our wish, and in spite of our sincere endeavors. Russia has set fire to the building. We are at war with Russia and France -- a war that has been forced upon us…
1. On whom does the German Chancellor, Bethmann-Hollweg place blame for the onset of the continental war?
______
2. What is the value (usefulness) and limitations of Source A?
______
SOURCE B / Extract from: Daily Mirror (newspaper), The Declaration of War, published 4 August 1914 in London.It would seem as if Germany, in her ambition to control the destiny of the whole of Europe, were ready to embark on any grandiose scheme of adventure, however precarious her chances.
At the present time Germany is in a state of war with: Great Britain, Russia, France and Belgium. So far as Great Britain is concerned, her attitude has always been plain, straightforward and perfectly intelligible. She was prepared to stand aside from the conflict that has now involved practically the whole of Europe.
But she insisted and had to insist on two things: these were that Belgium's neutrality should be respected; and that the German fleet should not bombard defenceless French towns. Germany tried to bribe us with peace to desert our friends and duty. But Great Britain has preferred the path of honour.
3. Whose perspective is captured in Source B? How does this source differ from Bethmann-Hollweg in Source A?
______
SOURCE C / Extract from: Poincaré's (French president) War Message, Paris, August 5, 1914.GENTLEMEN: France has just been the object of a violent and premeditated attack, which is an insolent defiance of the law of nations. Before any declaration of war had been sent to us, even before the German Ambassador had asked for his passports, our territory has been violated. The German Empire has waited till yesterday evening to give at this late stage the true name to a state of things which it had already created.
For more than forty years the French, in sincere love of peace, have buried at the bottom of their heart the desire for legitimate reparation.They have given to the world the example of a great nation which, definitely raised from defeat by the exercise of will, patience, and labour, has only used its renewed and rejuvenated strength in the interest of progress and for the good of humanity.
Since the ultimatum of Austria opened a crisis which threatened the whole of Europe, France has persisted in following and in recommending on all sides a policy of prudence, wisdom, and moderation.
To her there can be imputed no act, no movement, no word, which has not been peaceful and conciliatory.
At the hour when the struggle is beginning, she has the right, in justice to herself, of solemnly declaring that she has made, up to the last moment, supreme efforts to avert the war now about to break out, the crushing responsibility for which the German Empire will have to bear before history. (Unanimous and repeated applause.) . . . Our fine and courageous army, which France today accompanies with her maternal thought (loud applause) has risen eager to defend the honour of the flag and the soil of the country. (Unanimous and repeated applause.)
The President of the Republic interpreting the unanimous feeling of the country, expresses to our troops by land and sea the admiration and confidence of every Frenchman (loud and prolonged applause).
Closely united in a common feeling, the nation will persevere with the cool self-restraint of which, since the beginning of the crisis, she has given daily proof. Now, as always, she will know how to harmonise the most noble daring and most ardent enthusiasm with that self-control which is the sign of enduring energy and is the best guarantee of victory (applause).
In the war which is beginning, France will have Right on her side, the eternal power of which cannot with impunity be disregarded by nations any more than by individuals (loud and unanimous applause).
She will be heroically defended by all her sons; nothing will break their sacred union before the enemy; today they are joined together as brothers in a common indignation against the aggressor, and in a common patriotic faith (loud and prolonged applause and cries of 'Vive la France') .
She is faithfully helped by Russia, her ally (loud and unanimous applause); she is supported by the loyal friendship of Great Britain (loud and unanimous applause).
And already from every part of the civilised world sympathy and good wishes are coming to her. For today once again she stands before the universe for Liberty, Justice, and Reason (loud and repeated applause)
'Haut les coeurs et vive la France!' (unanimous and prolonged applause).
4. According to the French President, why has this war started?
______
SOURCE D / Extract from: V. R. Berghahn, Imperial Germany, 1871-1914 (1994). By looking at Germany’s society, politics and economy, the author holds Germany primarily responsible for World War One.In the afternoon of August 1, 1914, when the German ultimatum to Russia to revoke the Tsarist mobilization order of the previous day had expired, Wilhelm II [German kaiser] telephoned [Chief of the General Staff Helmuth] von Moltke, [Reich Chancellor Theobold von] Bethmann Hollweg, [Admiral Alfred von] Tirpitz, and [War Minister Erich von] Falkenhayn to come without delay to the Imperial Palace to witness the Kaiser’s signing of the German mobilization order that was to activate the Schlieffen Plan and the German invasion of Luxemburg, Belgium and France. It was a decision that made war inevitable…
…it was the men gathered at the Imperial Palace in Berlin who pushed Europe over the brink. These men during the week prior to August 1 had, together with the “hawks” in Vienna, deliberately exacerbated the crisis, although they were in the best position to de-escalate and defuse it. There is also a broad concensus that during that crucial week that major conflicts occurred between the civilian leadership in Berlin around Bethmann Hollweg, who was still looking for diplomatic ways out of the impasse, and the military leadership around Moltke, who now pushed for a violent settling of accounts with the Triple Entente…
…Uncertain of Berlin’s response, Franz Joseph [Austria’s emperor] sent Count Alexander von Hoyos to see the German Kaiser, who then issued his notorious “Blank Cheque.” With it the Reich government [German] gave its unconditional support to whatever action Vienna [Austria] would decide to take against Belgrade [Serbia… What did Wilhelm II and his advisors expect to be the consequences of such an action? Was it merely the pretext for starting a major war? Or did Berlin hope that the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia would remain limited? The trouble with answering is that we do not possess a first hand account of the Kaiser’s “blank cheque” meeting with Hoyos and of the monarch’s words and assumptions on that occasion…
…That Moltke, clearly a key player in any German planning, had… approved of the localization strategy [the plan to encourage Austria-Hungary to attack and attempt to humiliate the Serbians in a short conflict similar to the Austro-Prussian War of 1866] is evidenced by his comment: “Austria must beat the Serbs and then make peace quickly, demanding an Austro-Serbian alliance as the sole condition. Just as Prussia did with Austria in 1866.”
If in the face of this evidence, we accept that Berlin adopted a limited war strategy at the beginning of July which turned out later on to have been badly miscalculated, the next question to be answered is: Why did the Kaiser and his advisors fall for the “illusion of a limited war”? To understand this and the pressures on them to take action, we must consider the deep pesimism by which they had become affected… The sense of crisis in the final years was most tangible in the field of foreign policy. The monarch and his civilian and military advisors along with many others felt encircled by the Triple Entente. Over the years and certainly after the conclusion of the Franco-British Entente Cordiale in 1904 and the Anglo-Russian Accord of 1907 they had convinced themselves that Britain, France and Russia were bent on throttling the two Central Powers. While the Anglo-German naval arms race had gone in reverse due to Tirpitz’s inability to sustain it financially, the military competition on land reached new heights in 1913 after the ratification of massive army bills in Germany, France and Russia… What, in the eyes of Germany’s leadership, made the spector of a Russo-German trade war around 1916 so terrifying was this was also the time when the French and Russian rearmament programs would be completed. Not surprisingly, the realization added the powerful Army leadership to the ranks of German pessimists… Moltke [said to the Austrian military leadership in March 1914], to wait any longer [means] diminishing our chances; [for] as far as manpower is concerned, one cannot enter into a competition with Russia.”
…However serious Germany’s international situation may have been, the Reich Chancellor and his colleagues were no less aware of the simultaneous difficulties on the domestic front. Surveying the Prusso-German political system in early 1914, it was impossible to avoid the impression that it was out of joint. The Kaiser’s prestige was rapidly evaporating… The government was unable to forge lasting alliances and compromises with the parties of the Right [conservatives] and the centre [moderates] – the only political forces that a monarchial Reich Chancellor could contemplate as potential partners for the passage of legislation. Meanhwhile the “revolutionary” Social Democrats were on the rise and had become the largest party in the Reichstag [German parliament]… [There was an expectation] that a war would result in Germany’s and Austria-Hungary’s domestic situation. The question was, what kind of war would achieve this objective? From all we know and have said about the early response to the assassinations of Sarajevo, this was not the moment to unleash a world war with uncalculable risks. The conservatives in Berlin and Vienna were not that extremist. They expected that war would lead to a major breakthrough in the Balkans and would stabilize the Austria-Hungarian Empire against Serb nationalism…