CONTENTS
CHAPTER I—The Causes of the War
CHAPTER III—The Dogs Let Loose
CHAPTER V—Wars and Rumours of Wars
CHAPTER VI—The Débâcle of theSocial Democrats
CHAPTER VII—"Necessity Knows NoLaw"
CHAPTER IX—The Neutrality of Belgium andGermany's Annexation Propaganda
CHAPTER XI—The Intellectuals and theWar
CHAPTER XII—The Literature of Hate
CHAPTER XIII—"Man to Man and Steel toSteel"
In many quarters of the world, especially in certain sections ofthe British public, people believed that the German nation was ledblindly into the World War by an unscrupulous military clique. Now,however, there is ample evidence to prove that the entire nationwas thoroughly well informed of the course which events weretaking, and also warned as to the catastrophe to which the nationalcourse was certainly leading.
Even to-day, after more than twelve months of devastatingwarfare, there is no unity of opinion in Germany as to who causedthe war. Some writers accuse France, others England, while many laythe guilt at Russia's door. They are only unanimous in charging oneor other, or all the powers, of the Triple Entente. We shall seethat every power now at war, with the exception of Germany andItaly, has been held responsible for Armageddon, but apparently ithas not yet occurred to Germans that the bearer of guilt for thisyear's bloodshed—is Germany alone!
It is true that the conflict between Austria and Serbia formsthe starting point. Whether or not Serbia was seriously in thewrong is a matter of opinion, but it is generally held that Austriadealt with her neighbour with too much heat and too littlediscretion. Austria kindled the flames of war, but it was Germany'smission to seize a blazing torch and set Europe alight.
When the text of Austria's ultimatum became known, a veryserious mood came over Germany. There was not a man who did notrealize that a great European War loomed on the horizon. Awell-organized, healthy public opinion could at that period havebrought the governments of the Germanic Powers to recognize theirresponsibility. Had the German Press been unanimous, it might havestopped the avalanche. But there were two currents of opinion, theone approving, the other condemning Austria for having thrown downthe gauntlet to Serbia and above all to Russia.
One paper exulted over the statement that every sentence inAustria's ultimatum "was a whip-lash across Serbia's face;" aphrase expressing so aptly the great mass of popular opinion. Thisexpression met with unstinted approval, for it corresponded withG