This Sunday will mark 100 years since the armistice that ended World War I. It was a war that killed tens of millions of people and changed the governmental structure of many world powers. It also changed foreign relations forever and marked the first real emergence of the USA as a world power willing to appear on the world stage. World War I also unleashed the crazy extremes of totalitarianism from the cellars where it had been confined. But the key to understanding World War I is that it was completely unnecessary and resolved nothing.
The battle was mainly between the allies (principally UK, France, Russia, Italy and later the USA) and the central powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire). There was no big issue that began the war. The heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian. That led Austria to make demands on Serbia. That led to the Russians coming to the defense of their Slavic ally, Serbia. That led Germany to coming to the aid of its ally Austria-Hungary. That led to the Russians and the Germans mobilizing their forces in a show of strength. That led to the British, French, Ottomans and Italians also mobilizing their forces in a show of strength to support their allies. At that point, since no one backed down, the war started. Think about that. A world war began with the only true issue being some sort of reparations by Serbia to Austria after the arch-duke was assassinated.
The fighting lasted over 4 years. Millions died. Big chunks of Europe were devastated. Russia grew war weary and an uprising in 1917 overthrew the Tsar. The new provisional government made peace with the Germans. That was followed by the Bolsheviks taking power and seventy-five years of Communism as a world scourge. On the Western Front, the Brits and the French battled the Germans in trench warfare that killed a great many but settled nothing. By 1917, the US entered the fight because the Germans had been sinking American ships as part of the German blockade of the UK and also because it was discovered that the Germans were trying to lure Mexico into attacking the US by promising aid and the return to Mexico of the southwestern part of the US. President Wilson portrayed the war as "the war to end all wars," but that was nonsense. Ultimately, however, the Germans had to surrender because of exhaustion more than anything else.
After the war ended, the great powers of Europe held the conference of Versailles which ended with the Treaty of Versailles. It treated the Germans very harshly, dismembered the Ottoman empire and Austria-Hungary and took colonies from the losers. The League of Nations was formed, but the USA wouldn't agree to join. It retreated back to North America while trying to withdraw from the world. Europe lost nearly all of its monarchies. The balance of power system that had kept the peace for 100 years after 1815 was abandoned. Chaos and starvation flourished.
So tens of millions died, the old system of governance also died, and nothing good came of it.
I really don't think we need to hold any remembrances on this anniversary.
The battle was mainly between the allies (principally UK, France, Russia, Italy and later the USA) and the central powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire). There was no big issue that began the war. The heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian. That led Austria to make demands on Serbia. That led to the Russians coming to the defense of their Slavic ally, Serbia. That led Germany to coming to the aid of its ally Austria-Hungary. That led to the Russians and the Germans mobilizing their forces in a show of strength. That led to the British, French, Ottomans and Italians also mobilizing their forces in a show of strength to support their allies. At that point, since no one backed down, the war started. Think about that. A world war began with the only true issue being some sort of reparations by Serbia to Austria after the arch-duke was assassinated.
The fighting lasted over 4 years. Millions died. Big chunks of Europe were devastated. Russia grew war weary and an uprising in 1917 overthrew the Tsar. The new provisional government made peace with the Germans. That was followed by the Bolsheviks taking power and seventy-five years of Communism as a world scourge. On the Western Front, the Brits and the French battled the Germans in trench warfare that killed a great many but settled nothing. By 1917, the US entered the fight because the Germans had been sinking American ships as part of the German blockade of the UK and also because it was discovered that the Germans were trying to lure Mexico into attacking the US by promising aid and the return to Mexico of the southwestern part of the US. President Wilson portrayed the war as "the war to end all wars," but that was nonsense. Ultimately, however, the Germans had to surrender because of exhaustion more than anything else.
After the war ended, the great powers of Europe held the conference of Versailles which ended with the Treaty of Versailles. It treated the Germans very harshly, dismembered the Ottoman empire and Austria-Hungary and took colonies from the losers. The League of Nations was formed, but the USA wouldn't agree to join. It retreated back to North America while trying to withdraw from the world. Europe lost nearly all of its monarchies. The balance of power system that had kept the peace for 100 years after 1815 was abandoned. Chaos and starvation flourished.
So tens of millions died, the old system of governance also died, and nothing good came of it.
I really don't think we need to hold any remembrances on this anniversary.
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