HIST-1103 W4: "Sleepwalking" into War, 1914-17

June 4 class.

RR: “Blank Check” from the Kaiser
How would you characterize the Kaiser’s message? Is this clear evidence of aggression?

• “As in all others” - Kaiser Wilhelm remarking that Austria is reliant on Germany (no, you’re part of our empire, not a sovereign nation-state) 

• “Action must not be delayed” meaning sooner is better than later… 

• “Years prepared” for a war between Russia & Austria-Hungary - Triple Alliance = secret pact between Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

• “He [Kaiser Wilhelm] would regret if we [Austria] did not make use of the present moment which is all in our favor.” Interesting implication

RR: BBC magazine - “10 interpretations on who started WW1”
What are some of the differences between the historians in terms of the evidence they provide to support their respective arguments? Which of the ten interpretations are most convincing to you? Why?

• Conversation w/ Dr. Brooks - sure, Germany offered unconditional support, but it was ultimately Austria-Hungary that chose to make such a radical and extreme ultimatum to Serbia. He mentioned A-H wanted to rewrite history books, look at police records, etc. A surrender of sovereignty nobody would really take.

• Sooo A-H, then, are at fault. But they had to do something about the assassination, it’s not like they could’ve just stood back and said, “sure, it’s all good.”

• Did the Serbian government know of the Black Hand? Dismiss Croatians “we want this to look like it was Serbian” on the arrest lists w/ Franz Ferdinand assassination

RR: “Lenin Rejects Democracy”

What are Lenin’s reasons for rejecting democracy? What does he argue it should be replaced with?

• First sentence - to have parliament (that is corrupt, basically, or biased) “crush” a group of peoples is unjust, even in a democracy

• Quotes Marx haha

• Parliament is a facade for the “common people,” especially in the Russia, with a seemingly “bourgeois-democratic republic” showing the “sins of parliamentarism” before parliament has even been established.

• Instead of democracy, we need a “working, not parliamentary, body” - not specific in his plans, more so voicing the people’s unrest and desire for real change.

• Tool for oppression - true estimate of bourgeoisie is to repress and crush the people of the parliament 

• Wanted working class to be in power 

• Clean the house and elect new people in

Lecture - Gavrilo Princip - Sarajevo

• Austrians are occupying Bosnia, seeds of radicalization begin (social, communist books)

Bosnia-Herzegovina has a mixed pop. including nationalities, ethnicities, religions 

• Joins Young Bosnia (rebels) after witnessing the death of Bogdan Serajic

• Princip fails Serb. army physical, but is inspired after seeing it push out Ottoman Empire

• Gets connected to Black Hand (Serbian Military Intelligence) - taught how grenades/guns work undercover/on the down-low

• Does his thing in Sarajevo, feels bad about killing the wife of Franz Ferdinand. Prison for 20 years, dies in 1918

Lecture - Long 19th Century. What came before the UN, or League of Nations?
- Where is Germany sitting?

Collective security. Nothing stays the same in history.

• 19th century, falls apart, alliance system comes into play by 1900 (friends!) instead of “nobody disturb the peace, don’t change boarders, don’t start wars.”

Germany

• Triple alliance, 1882 (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy). Good w/ Britain/Russia

  • Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser, more overseas imperialism, = conflict

  • After Bismark dismissed, brilliance “just wasn’t there”

Lecture - 1890-1907. What’s going on w/ Wilhelm, France, Britain?

• Wilhelm II - Russia relations worsen, inc. navy to rival Britain 

• France - Dual Alliance w/ Russia against Ger. 

• Britain: out of isolation, worried about Ger. (Alliances! Japan, 1902, France 1904, Russia 1907). WHY? All fear the rising power of Germany (Thucydides’ Trap - rising power confronts ruling power)

• Germany, why NOT be w/ Britain? Common blood! B/c who’s going to be the bigger fish? Germany. Bigger economy, population. Pride, honor.

Lecture - Road to WW1. What about domino effect of political/military “doomsday machine?”

• Russia/Bosnians resentful of Austria. Germany supp. Austria, Russia supp. Serbia

• Balkan Wars, 1912-13. Greece/Serbia inc. power

• Powder keg didn’t start w/ Sarajevo & Princip, but rather all of Europe

Political “doomsday machine” alliance system causes chain of events (dominoes)

Military doomsday machine - tight organization, hard to stop once started (millions of men, equipment, supplies) 

• Germany declares war on France/Russia, not on Britain (hopes they will sit out) but are unlucky. Belgium is invaded, final straw (neutral countries should NOT be invaded, violation)

War in Europe, excitement. Germany → Schlieffen plan fails (Belgians resist, BEF, French) 

• New tech (machine guns), trench warfare, less mobility (mechanized armies) 

Eastern Europe - Serbia ultimately crushed 1915, Germany → Russia 1915, retreats (Russia ain’t doing hot, pressure on gov.)