“Silly argument. If only the so-called ‘pacifists’ had had their way in 1914. If France, Britain, and Russia had wanted peace, at worst, there would have been a localized war between Serbia and Austria.”
I don’t get it. How would the pacifists have stopped Germany from trying to conquer Europe? Or are you under the impression that Germany didn’t start the war, that it was everyone’s fault, and that “nationalism,” “imperialism,” the arms race, or whatever, were to blame? That’s called “the Sarajevo fallacy,” and, as you could have guessed, is false.
France, Britain, and Russia were no more to blame for the wider war than they were 25 years later.
Conquer Europe?! Where did you get that whooper? Imperial Germany had no such goal. It is true that it backed Austria Hungary on Serbia but that was a localized conflict. It was also a complicated one. Serbia, after all, had been constantly making trouble in Bosnia and it was clearly complicit in the assassination of the Archduke. The Austro-Hungarians felt that Serbia (backed by its pan Slavist big brother) would be making trouble on its southern borders for decades to come. I doubt most of the "nationalists" here would have tolerated similar behavior from Mexico in our territory.
Even after the dominoes started to fall, Germany's broader "conquest" goals were limited to Belgium, and perhaps additional colonies in Africa. That, combined with the independence of pro-German states in the Ukraine, the Baltics, etc., is pretty much the worst case scenario had we stayed out. Compare that to what actually happenened and it looks great!
BTW, those who cry crockodile tears about the Belgium monarchy (which had plenty of blood on its hands in the giant prison of the Congo Free State) never seem to care that the allies violated Greek neutrality during the war.