the necessary war

(Stop every 5-7 mins for discussion.)

OBJECTIVES: Was WWI futile? Was it for nothing? Was it a waste? Was it justified?  Was WWI a bad war and WW2 a good war? 

PERSPECTIVE: British - Max Hastings (Commentator) 

GERMANY 

Germany before WW1 was excelling in economy and industry BUT the Reichstag and Government was very limited compared to all other European governments.

Germany had unemployment and old-age pensions for its citizens. (socialist tendencies) 

German Culture: revered across the world.

Mostly aggressive Wilhelm made all decisions and held all power.

Paranoid 

If there was going to be a war, do it before Russia has more military power. 

WILHELM II (Kaiser)

Was more military and more aggressive because he felt in

Learned leadership strategies from Otto von Bismark and then kicked him out.

WAR PLAN of GERMANY

Gave Austria a "blank cheque" to attack Serbia (we will defend you from Russia) 

Schlieffen Plan - Attack through Belgium.

Because Germany attacked Belgium (neutral) it pulled England into the war.

(Related to Queen Elizabeth - which he felt needed to be defended)

ENGLAND'S ENTRY 

Grey (British) Foreign Minister - Should they protect Belgium? 

Liberal Party then supported getting involved in the war? 

Was Belgium the reason Britain entered WW1? 

Germany doesn't want things to look like Napoleon's Empire in Europe.

Need to respect law so that it can make money. . . economy benefits when everyone follows laws of the world 

BRITISH ECONOMY: International law matters to a country that relies on trade for its economy. 

GERMANY ATTACKS 

Starts attacking in Belgium 

Seizing civilians and killing them (britality) 6,500 killed

Germans burned down library in Leuvan - 240 killed - thousands of buildings destroyed 

German's claim that these stories were all fabrications (fake). 

GERMANY ATTACKS IN FRANCE (following Schlieffen) 

Germany tries to sue for lots of extra land. 

Ypres: Germans last big push in 1914. lose 56,000 men

Dig into the TRENCHES! starting in Ypres. 

ARGUMENT: Hastings argues that the Germans were most to blame for starting WWI because Kaiser Wilhelm ruled with an iron fist and he and the generals were worried about the rising power of democracy within Germany.  Germany wanted to attack now or be unable to attack in the future. Also Russia was growing and might be too powerful in the near future. 

ARGUMENT #2: Hastings argues that Germany was violent and committed atrocities. 

ARGUMENT #3: Germany would have attacked Britain after it took over all of Europe.