World War One Centenary
A hundred years ago Sunday, there was celebration in the streets of Berlin and Paris at the announcement that war had been declared – it all went downhill from there. It had been 44 years since the two countries had battled, and Germany’s big surprise attack was to attack through the Ardennes forest – it wasn’t the first time nor would it be the last. The countries marked the anniversary yesterday according to the Agency Press France;
French President Francois Hollande recalled Germany’s invasion of neutral Belgium in early August 1914 that turned a Balkans war into a global conflagration, raising current day parallels.
“How can we remain neutral today when a people not far from Europe is fighting for their rights?” Hollande said, clearly referring to the Ukraine crisis.
“How can we remain neutral when a civilian airliner is brought down … when there is conflict in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza?”
“We cannot remain neutral … Europe must live up to its responsibilities with the United Nations,” he told an audience that included Britain’s Prince William and his wife Catherine, heads of state and representatives of some 80 countries.
Hindsight is 20/20. If Europe had learned it’s lessons that brought us that great conflagration in 1914, maybe we wouldn’t have those conflicts today. It’s almost funny to me that Hollande talks about Europe’s responsibility at a ceremony and acts completely differently when faced with the realities of the world. I haven’t seen the Europeans do anything but sit on their hands. Even when things happen in their own backyards – Bosnia comes to mind.
Where was France in Iraq? They were the first to withdraw from Afghanistan. When the world is engulfed in flames, they’ll wring their hands some more. Like they blew their opportunity to lead in Libya. Hollande can name the conflicts in our world today, but what, exactly, has France done to end those wars? Or anyone else in Europe for that matter?
The Mons ceremony will focus on the small military cemetery of St Symphorien, where 229 Commonwealth and 284 German solders were buried together in a gesture of reconciliation even as the fighting raged.
Empty gestures of reconciliation are all the Europeans are good at – after the troops pay the price. Heaven forbid that they learn a lesson from their past mistakes.
Category: Historical
What worries me the most is that the map of Europe has been redrawn to reflect, almost completely, the Europe of August, 1914.
Chancellor Bismark was once asked what he most feared. His blunt answer was “Some damned thing in the Balkans”.
The demise of Yugoslavia and the breakup of Czechoslovakia brought back all those ethnic squabbles to the front. Those groups have VERY long memories.
To respond to your two assertions, Jonn, these United States should have NEVER been involved in the Balkans. That is entirely Europe’s problem. It’s a problem they created and have let fester for centuries now. Let them clean up their own damned mess.
As to France, the Poilu, the French rank and file, are as courageous and good a soldier as any nations. The problem has always been with their leaders. Since the end of Napoleon’s reign, France has suffered under the military leadership of Marshals and Generals, and especially senior staff officers who, at best, can be described as “unimaginative”. Most are absolutely useless and would be better described as politicians in uniform than competent officers. Unless and until France deals with that problem, her military will continue to suffer.
Exactly. WWI was the U.S.’s most unnecessary conflict. We had absolutely no reason to involve ourselves in that war. WWI effectively ended the Monroe Doctrine due to Wilson’s ego.
We could have easily sat WWI out and let the European powers kill their own. Perhaps no Nazi Party would’ve emerged and WWII would’ve been avoided
Damn Wilson to Hell.
Um, AW1 Tim: I think you’re talking about the map of Europe in 1922, amigo. In 1914, part of Poland was occupied by the German Empire; the Baltic states, much of Poland, Belorussia, and the Ukraine were part of the Russian Empire; and parts of Poland/Italy/Romania and all of Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
In Eastern Europe, the only significant similarities between today and pre-1914 are that (1) Serbia and Montenegro are today independent vice part of an artificial entity created by the whim of outsiders, and (2) Greece’s and Bulgaria’s borders are roughly the same.
Since before the Roman Empire, former Yugoslavia and the Balkans have only been unified when ruled by an outside power. Yugoslavia is no exception; there, Tito imposed order by force on five nationalities that historically had been enemies. Indeed, one can make an argument that throughout history the Balkans have only been peaceful when a conqueror has imposed order.
Europe today far more closely resembles the map of Europe in 1922 than 1914.
Oh, I know they were a part of the Russian empire, my point was that Europe has been broken back into it’s earlier component parts. Small states with solid singularly ethnic populations where slights from one to another are remember generations after the affair.
V/R
True. Unfortunately, that’s a side effect of the principle of self-determination. As well, frankly, as basic human nature. People are inherently tribal to some degree, and prefer to associate with those who are “like them” – with the definition of “like them” often quite arbitrary.
Homogenous nations are not always a bad thing. In such states, there’s generally not much of an ethnic minority to abuse. Witness what happened in former Yugoslavia to the ethnic minorities in Croatia (primarily Serbs, but some Bosniacs), Serbia (Croats, Bosniacs), Bosnia (Croats and Serbs) and Serbia (Croats, Bosniacs, Albanians) after the breakup. Only Montenegro and Slovenia escaped that horror – and that’s because they were essentially ethnically homogenous to begin with.
We in the West find “ethnic cleansing” abhorrent, and philosophically it is indeed repugnant. But sometimes it appears to be the only practical way to avoid genocide or preserve peace.
And the Balkans are small stuff historically in that respect. Take a look at what happened in what is today Poland and Russia after World War II.
I’ll leave the geopolitics to others. Me, I’ll remember the 14 year old kid named Connolly and wonder how, if at all, he reacted to the news of war in Europe. Three years later, he would enlist in the Army, train at Camp Mills with the Rainbow Division’s 165th Regiment Infantry (69th New York)and fight in several bloody campaigns until gas felled him and ultimately killed him. He never recovered but lived another ten years, long enough to marry and, at 26, have his first and only child. Respiratory and heart problems from the gas killed him the next year. His only child lived a long, full, and happy life and, I’m happy to report, he has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I am among them.
We can see today the rise of many of the attitudes that led to WWI and WWII resurfacing in Europe… and elsewhere. On top of old attitudes, natural resources are barely keeping pace in some places to keep up with population growth and demand. Eventually, someone is going to need more, and they are going to try and take it.
Will there be a WWIII? I hope not, because there won’t be a lot left to rebuild from.
Ain’t that cute Hollande, you socialist French frog.
“How can we remain neutral today when a people not far from Europe is fighting for their rights?” Hollande said, clearly referring to the Ukraine crisis.”
And you remain neutral by selling warships to the USSR 2.0? Jonn, you are so right. The Europeans never learn, nor do they do anything. Rhetoric and empty gestures are their bread and butter.
If war comes, who is prepared to respond to the challenge? Not the Europeans certainly. Not us with a clearly war weary public. Russia maybe-not that we’d be happy with that result. Ah well, it’s too hard to think about and makes us all feel bad anyway-when is Survivor on?
Yeah…uh, I don’t know, Jonn. Given the Europeans performance during the first half of the 20th century, maybe it’s better off if they keep their hands away from the trouble spots?