Essay On Origins Of World War I

Essay, Research Paper

The thesis in the article The origins of the World War , by Sidney B. Fay, can clearly be stated as the explanation for World War I. Fay states that no one country is responsible for the creation of the war. Furthermore, he goes on to explain that each of the European country s leaders did, or failed to do certain things to provoke the other countries into a war. Fay states, One must abandon the dictum of the Versailles Treaty that Germany and her allies were solely responsible. It was a dictum exacted by victors from vanquished, under the influence of the blindness, ignorance, hatred, and the propagandist misconceptions to which war had given rise. (Fay, The Origins of the World War). His main arguments are his explanations of how each country was responsible for the creation of the war. His first explanation is that of how Serbia was partly responsible. Fay explains that Serbia knew that by not co-operating with the Austrian government over the implications of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand assassination they were indirectly preparing for a war they would fight but did not want. Fay says that Austria was more responsible for the war than any other power but not in military attack, but more in the form of self-defence. He makes it clear that Austria was justified in their battle and that they didn t have to, sit back and await the dismemberment at the hands of its neighbors. (Fay, The origins of the World War). Fay believes that Berchtold wanted a local war with Serbia but knew and was content with the fact that the rest of Europe could very easily become involved with the war. Fay s third country s explanation was that of Germany. He believed that Germany did not want a war and tried to avert one completely. It is his belief that since Austria was Germany s only dependable ally, they were dragged into the war. Furthermore, he explains that Germany s geographical location, being in the middle of the conflict between France and Russia, they had little choice in the matter and had to defend their territory as well as Austria-Hungary s. Fay s fourth country and major power discussed, was Russia. He believed that Russia supported Serbia because of the frequent guidance and encouragement given at Belgrade, and if a war were to break out they would more than happy to fight along with the belief of France and Britain helping out. Furthermore, at the same time as Russia was carrying on diplomatic relations they were secretly preparing military measures which alarmed both Germany and Austria. Fay believed that France s part in the creation of the war was not as clear as the rest of the major powers, although they did assure Russia that they would support them as an ally in preventing Austria from invading Serbia. Fay then begins to explain how Sir Edward Grey was in favor or preserving peace but his attempts failed owing partly to Germany s attitude. He feels that Sir Edward could have prevented the war if he had firstly, told France and Russia and given a strong warning to Germany that in a European war England would take the side of the France-Russia alliance and form the Triple Entente. This would have, led Bethmann to assure an earlier and more effective pressure on Austria; and it would have perhaps thereby have prevented the Austrian declaration of war on Serbia (Fay, The Origins of the World War). Secondly, Sir Edward Grey could have listened to Germany, and warned France and Russia that if a war was to go on, England would remain a neutral party. This in turn would have given Russia a hesitation with there deployment of troops and at St. Petersburg France may have been more cautious. Fay further explains that Sir Edward Grey could not say that England would take the side of Russia and France because he had a Cabinet evenly divided, which meant that he was unsure if his people would support his opinion in the war effort. Grey also wrote in his memoirs that he could have resigned but that would have put France in a tough position because they were counting on British support. Grey then decided to do nothing and stay neutral until of course Germany entered into neutral grounds, which was Belgium. This act by Germany gave the British Cabinet the decision to enter the war on the Franco-Russian side. His secondary reason for making the move on siding with the French was the fact that he had a moral obligation to aid France based solely on past naval conversations, and his belief that Germany was unjustly defending Austria. Fay believed that Italy and Belgium had little influence in the creation of the war, but did in fact see the danger they were quickly getting involved in. He then concludes that the verdict of Germany and her allies being responsible for the war was historically unsound .

The thesis of the article, Germany s Aims in the First World War, can be clearly stated as Germany s objective and claim to world power. Fischer can be quoted as saying, Germany found herself, as Moltke put it, in a condition of hopeless isolation which was growing ever more hopeless. (Fischer, Germany s Aims in the First World War). Fischer s first explanation for this statement is that of Germany s rapid increase in population over the late 1800 s and early 1900 s, while France s population remained roughly the same. He believes that Germany s youth in population gave the national consciousness a feeling, which reinforced the demand for market and industrial expansion.