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Was World War I Avoidable?
GW Today ^ | 2014 | James Irwin

Posted on 09/01/2024 9:07:12 AM PDT by hardspunned

The assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip in late June 1914 had one of the strongest ripple effects in modern history, setting off a series of war declarations across Europe and plunging the world into one of its deadliest conflicts.

World War I, however, didn’t officially begin until a month after Ferdinand’s assassination, and though tensions were high, the fight wasn’t inevitable, according to Ronald Spector, professor of history and international affairs.

George Washington Today sat down with Dr. Spector to discuss the assassination, the path to war and the new Europe it created.

Q: What was the mood in Europe in the summer of 1914, right around the time of the assassination? A: At the time, things actually seemed to be getting better. The Moroccan Crisis had been settled, the French and Germans had concluded an agreement about the Rhine River, and at the time of the assassination the German Navy was hosting the British Navy at Kiel Week, which is a huge bash with yacht and boat races. Of course, there were certain structural causes present, including the rise of nationalism in the Balkans, the alliance systems and the long-term arms race in naval and land weapons. But these things were in the background. It didn’t seem, in the summer of 1914, that there was much worry about a global war. The French and British newspapers, even for several weeks after the assassination, referred to it as “the Balkan crisis.” They didn’t think this would be a worldwide conflict.

(Excerpt) Read more at gwtoday.gwu.edu ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History
KEYWORDS: concerntroll; concerntrolling; europe; war; ww1
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Compare the similarities of how WWI started to how potentially WWIII will start today. Next, compare how WWIII potentially started in this dramatization. Begin at the 32:00 mark for as long as you have the nerve to watch.

https://youtu.be/TOPaaHSjMcw?si=f7nmhupN6Ugg7lBO

1 posted on 09/01/2024 9:07:12 AM PDT by hardspunned
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To: hardspunned

https://youtu.be/TOPaaHSjMcw?si=f7nmhupN6Ugg7lBO


2 posted on 09/01/2024 9:07:36 AM PDT by hardspunned (Look for the“Putin Stooge” libel, news from Ukraine you’ve gradually grown to trust over 30 months)
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To: hardspunned

Yes.

France should have never allied with Russia, if anything, Britain and France should have allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary against Russia.


3 posted on 09/01/2024 9:08:35 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: hardspunned

Yes. Next question.


4 posted on 09/01/2024 9:08:45 AM PDT by nwrep
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To: hardspunned

It makes one wonder about WWIII.


5 posted on 09/01/2024 9:09:06 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: hardspunned

I think WWI was avoidable but there was a lot going on at the time and it seems like many of the Great Powers were spoiling for a glorious little war that would be over by Christmas.

The current situation doesn’t make any sense at all to me except for the apparent fact that the West really seems to be spoiling for a glorious little nuclear war that will be over in about 90 minutes.


6 posted on 09/01/2024 9:10:32 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (My decisions about people are based almost entirely on skin color. I learned this from Democrats.)
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To: hardspunned

Every war is ‘avoidable’.


7 posted on 09/01/2024 9:11:14 AM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: hardspunned

hindsight is 20/20 ...


8 posted on 09/01/2024 9:12:45 AM PDT by bankwalker (Repeal the 19th ...)
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To: hardspunned

The war was engineered by the British who did not appreciate German successes in the colonial areas. In German industry was doing very well. Britain did not like competition. World War I was very different in origin than World War II.
Another interesting sidenote, the average World War I German soldier could vote. The vast majority of British soldiers could not. The war to make the world safe for democracy… you know.


9 posted on 09/01/2024 9:13:02 AM PDT by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI. )
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To: ClearCase_guy

I think WWI was avoidable but there was a lot going on at the time and it seems like many of the Great Powers were spoiling for a glorious little war that would be over by Christmas.


It was over by Christmas....Christmas of 1918.


10 posted on 09/01/2024 9:15:04 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DesertRhino

Britain and France didn’t like the fact that there was a “New Kid On The Block”.


11 posted on 09/01/2024 9:15:41 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: hardspunned

In 1918 the German defense minister asked the German Prime Minister:

“How did this horrible war happen?”

The Prime Minister answered:

“Ahhh,...if we only knew.”


12 posted on 09/01/2024 9:16:02 AM PDT by Az Joe (Live free or die)
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To: jerod
and EVERY war is a Banker's war...

All Wars Are Bankers Wars

13 posted on 09/01/2024 9:16:17 AM PDT by C210N (Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.)
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To: DesertRhino

And Britain blockaded German ports, but they expected American ships to supply them, while not allowing those same American ships to supply Germany, even though we were technically “neutral”.

But of course, we were ever neutral, since we were relying on the Royal Navy to pick up the slack in the Atlantic while we were beefing up our Pacific presence, since we gained Hawaii and The Philippines in the Spanish-American War, which even then was putting us on a collision course with Imperial Japan.


14 posted on 09/01/2024 9:18:04 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: jerod

Usually


15 posted on 09/01/2024 9:19:16 AM PDT by wardaddy (Thank you God for saving president Trump from murder)
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To: hardspunned

This is an important article because there are strong parallels between Europe in 1914 and the Ukraine/ Russia situation today.

In 1914 blindness and overconfidence ruled the day. Pretty much the same now.

No disrespect meant to any FReeper, but we see a bit of that here.

“Russia is 100% correct, and here’s why…”
or
“Ukraine is 100% correct, and here’s why…”


16 posted on 09/01/2024 9:20:14 AM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: hardspunned

It happened because of the assortment of abysmally mediocre politicians involved and in no way should have been solely blamed on Germany. This and the resulting Versailles Treaty cemented in the certainty of WW2.


17 posted on 09/01/2024 9:20:42 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo )
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To: hardspunned

I think World War III is unlikely. Confronted with the prospect of nuclear war, I think the west would sacrifice Israel, surrender and disarm. Better red than dead would be narrative of the day.


18 posted on 09/01/2024 9:22:22 AM PDT by DeplorablePaul
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To: hardspunned
Arch Duke? Consider the real reason for WW1 and WW2.

World wars are pre-planned by hidden elites, acting thru their puppet governments. They have their agenda.

WW1 was fomented to setup Russia. WW2 was fomented to create Israel (think Balfour Declaration, give from the Crown to Lord Rothschild).

See Albert Pike, and his prediction in the late 1800's for 3 world wars:


19 posted on 09/01/2024 9:22:43 AM PDT by C210N (Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.)
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To: DesertRhino

I always thought Britain’s ultimate goal was to destroy the Ottoman Empire.


20 posted on 09/01/2024 9:22:53 AM PDT by HYPOCRACY (Brandon's pronouns: Xi/Hur)
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