- 26 Dec 2011 12:11
#13859150
Germany is the main protagonist (well... antagonist) with its imperial ambitions and weltpolitik. However, Russia was the trigger. Russia was industrializing at a frightening pace at this time and it was also essentially allied with France, yet another revisionist (it just was - a hyper-mobilizing state that wanted revenge for 1871) power. If a general European war was to break out, Germany would have to fight a two-front war. Apparently, because the whole of Europe was insane, it was inconvenient not to have a war. The Russians also wanted to solve the Eastern question for good. When they learned about the Ottomans' plans to acquire two dreadnaughts (which would have rendered obsolete the entire Russian Black Sea navy and dramatically change the balance of power vis-a-vis the Ottomans) - so it started looking for a trigger.*
Russia had not helped the Bulgarians in 1913, nor the Serbs the same year against Austria-Hungary. In fact, Russia endorsed the creation of Albania to the disappointment of its Slavic brothers in Serbia. However, in 1914, Russia all of a sudden becomes the paragon of the Slavic cause in an issue in which the Austro-Hungarians are right. Why? Because the Ottomans were about to acquire dreadnaughts. Russia wanted war! Germany wanted a war too so that it may inflict severe damage on the industrializing Russia to prevent its further growth and to defeat France too. Add thinly veiled imperialism, strict mobilization timetables and suicidally unfounded expectations... and finally, a trigger (the poor old Archduke).
* Based on Sean McMeekin's new book.
Russia had not helped the Bulgarians in 1913, nor the Serbs the same year against Austria-Hungary. In fact, Russia endorsed the creation of Albania to the disappointment of its Slavic brothers in Serbia. However, in 1914, Russia all of a sudden becomes the paragon of the Slavic cause in an issue in which the Austro-Hungarians are right. Why? Because the Ottomans were about to acquire dreadnaughts. Russia wanted war! Germany wanted a war too so that it may inflict severe damage on the industrializing Russia to prevent its further growth and to defeat France too. Add thinly veiled imperialism, strict mobilization timetables and suicidally unfounded expectations... and finally, a trigger (the poor old Archduke).
* Based on Sean McMeekin's new book.
"It is a dangerous thing to be a Machiavelli. It is a disastrous thing to be a Machiavelli without virtū."
- Hans J. Morgenthau
- Hans J. Morgenthau