The common answer to the question, 'Who started the Great War?' is usually 'Germany.' Those in Germany may well say 'France.' The answer sought by the author here comes up with a more realistic appraisal, it was all of them!
The problem with world politics is simple, it is run by men! The difficulty there is they have their own opinions, their own understandings of the political situation at home and abroad, and a need to keep their jobs first and foremost. This means all nations in the years before 1914 were run by governments filled with those enthusiastic for war, and those enthusiastic for peace. One side saw war as the way to ensure the economy, their opponents saw it the opposite way. Individual characters come to the fore here. Strong men with a decent understanding of the circumstances could easily lead a nation for peace or war. In several European nations at the time it appears the strong had a tendency for war, for whatever reason, and in the end took advantage of the circumstances to prevail. While almost all understood the potential disaster a European war could lead to, almost all in favour of war tended to put this to one side hoping a three or four month war would soon be over. It turns out they were mistaken.
In attempting to understand the Great Wars beginning the author works his way through the individuals at the heart of the matter. Beginning in the Balkans, where Serbian expansion rubbed up against the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Then through the individuals in the smaller states, and onto the large powerful nations of Europe, France, Russia and Germany, with the UK at all times desiring to avoid a European conflict, Christopher Clark, the professor of History at Cambridge, gives us the official reports, diaries, and letters and more from the leading men in all states.
It is not always good reading as fighting for their job and their own desires for or against war was uppermost in all. Somewhere capable and powerful men, others appear more devious than capable. The UK Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, was a man who spoke no foreign language, understood little re foreigners, and was reluctant to inform the cabinet, or indeed anyone else, about his talks with France and other nations. His lack of openness to the UK cabinet alongside his talks with the French which left an opening for various interpretations, was a great cause in the UK entering this war.
Clark covers the polarisation of the European minds, the growing fear of 'the other nations' threat,' and then the unfortunate assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. He covers the confused Austrian response, the delays, and the people who really began the war before anyone else, the Russians! The Kaiser and the Tsar were both hesitant about war, Wilhelm pretended he wanted it, the Tsar did his best to avoid it. King George was like the UK government unwilling to seek a war and agreed with his governments desire to avoid war. It was not kings that brought war, it was government ministers and military officers who concluded that war now could be won, a war later may be lost. Remember, this was a war of men. When the Germans counted their army at 860,000, they saw over a million and growing in Russia, plus the French who were tied to Russia. Men as weapons were central to this war. Mobilise too slowly and the war could be lost, so when the Russians mobilised before the Austrians the Germans declared war. Peace was lost.
This is a big book of 592 pages of small font. It took me ages to get through it, though I learned so much and was fascinated by the way political power operated at the time. There have been changes since, both nationally and internationally, but as we have seen recently these can easily be broken.
This is a book well worth a read. I recommend it for those who want to know why we 'sleepwalked' to war, as we already know the outcome. A good book.
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