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Welcome to the first in what I hope will be a grand tradition (copyright Boris Godunov 2002) of laying the blame!
That's right, it's time for unabashed finger pointing at just who was responsible for history's great tragedies and stupidities. No need to confine yourself to pleasantries here...just rant on which party was culpable! No personal insults to other posters, of course.
Our first issue is a biggie. It's World War I, that cataclysmic eruption of human stupidity that cost millions of lives, resolved nothing and ultimately probably led to the even bigger catastrophe of World War II.
History blamed the Germans, as they lost, and to the victors go the spoils and the right to assign blame. But lately, people are taking a more pan-condemning approach, lessening Germany's culpability and pointing out how all the powers were responsible for the mess.
Well, forget about such niceties! We want to assign blame here, and so I ask you: Who was the most culpable nation? If you feel so inclined, state why as well.
Here is a succinct view of how I understand the blame game goes, meant to express my own ideas, not what should be used as a basis for your own opinion:
1. Austria-Hungary.
They had been sticking their pointy helmets into the affairs of the Balkans for some time. Their belligerent and unreasonable ultimatum to Serbia was meant to precipitate a war, although they had no idea how big it would become. They started it!
2. France.
France had been itching for payback against Germany ever since the Franco-Prussian war. Their war declaration was really unprovoked, and it was their desire for revenge and to regain Alsace-Lorraine that drove them to combat. They started it!
3. Germany.
Germany pushed Austria to be unreasonable with Serbia, so they wouldn't look weak. They had every intention of starting a war so they could flex their military might. They had been preparing for years, with the build up of their Navy and the Von Schleiffen plan. Plus, we all know Germans are warmongers. They started it!
4. Great Britain.
The Limeys were also eager for a war, if just to put Germany in her proper place. Germany's naval build-up had rankled the Brits greatly, and they were also in a snit over Germany's aggressive stance with France in Morocco. The Brits only declared war so they could get in a tumble with the Germans and cut them down to size. They started it!
5. Russia.
Russia was stinging from losses again Japan in 1905 and in the Crimean war as well. She was desperate to demonstrate she was still a first-rate military power, and to also stem the rampant discontent among the people against the monarchy. What's more, she felt Austria greatly threatened her interests in controlling the Balkans, and wanted a chance to smack them around a bit. Russia egged on Serbia and instigated the war through their desire for power. They started it!
6. Serbia.
Serbian radicals murdered the Archduke, and the Serbian government was intentionally evasive in its feet-dragging with Austria. They fostered the climate of war, and they were certain Russia would beat Austria quickly and then Serbia could continue to flex its muscles in the Balkans. They started it!
7. The United States
Hey, they can always get blamed for something, right? Perhaps increased U.S. military might and imperialism was threatening to the European powers, driving their ambitions abroad and increasing tensions on the continent to unbearable levels. It's a stretch. They started it!
8. Others.
Canada? Mexico? Finland? Banana Republic? You tell me who started it!
So, let the blaming begin!
That's right, it's time for unabashed finger pointing at just who was responsible for history's great tragedies and stupidities. No need to confine yourself to pleasantries here...just rant on which party was culpable! No personal insults to other posters, of course.
Our first issue is a biggie. It's World War I, that cataclysmic eruption of human stupidity that cost millions of lives, resolved nothing and ultimately probably led to the even bigger catastrophe of World War II.
History blamed the Germans, as they lost, and to the victors go the spoils and the right to assign blame. But lately, people are taking a more pan-condemning approach, lessening Germany's culpability and pointing out how all the powers were responsible for the mess.
Well, forget about such niceties! We want to assign blame here, and so I ask you: Who was the most culpable nation? If you feel so inclined, state why as well.
Here is a succinct view of how I understand the blame game goes, meant to express my own ideas, not what should be used as a basis for your own opinion:
1. Austria-Hungary.
They had been sticking their pointy helmets into the affairs of the Balkans for some time. Their belligerent and unreasonable ultimatum to Serbia was meant to precipitate a war, although they had no idea how big it would become. They started it!
2. France.
France had been itching for payback against Germany ever since the Franco-Prussian war. Their war declaration was really unprovoked, and it was their desire for revenge and to regain Alsace-Lorraine that drove them to combat. They started it!
3. Germany.
Germany pushed Austria to be unreasonable with Serbia, so they wouldn't look weak. They had every intention of starting a war so they could flex their military might. They had been preparing for years, with the build up of their Navy and the Von Schleiffen plan. Plus, we all know Germans are warmongers. They started it!
4. Great Britain.
The Limeys were also eager for a war, if just to put Germany in her proper place. Germany's naval build-up had rankled the Brits greatly, and they were also in a snit over Germany's aggressive stance with France in Morocco. The Brits only declared war so they could get in a tumble with the Germans and cut them down to size. They started it!
5. Russia.
Russia was stinging from losses again Japan in 1905 and in the Crimean war as well. She was desperate to demonstrate she was still a first-rate military power, and to also stem the rampant discontent among the people against the monarchy. What's more, she felt Austria greatly threatened her interests in controlling the Balkans, and wanted a chance to smack them around a bit. Russia egged on Serbia and instigated the war through their desire for power. They started it!
6. Serbia.
Serbian radicals murdered the Archduke, and the Serbian government was intentionally evasive in its feet-dragging with Austria. They fostered the climate of war, and they were certain Russia would beat Austria quickly and then Serbia could continue to flex its muscles in the Balkans. They started it!
7. The United States
Hey, they can always get blamed for something, right? Perhaps increased U.S. military might and imperialism was threatening to the European powers, driving their ambitions abroad and increasing tensions on the continent to unbearable levels. It's a stretch. They started it!
8. Others.
Canada? Mexico? Finland? Banana Republic? You tell me who started it!
So, let the blaming begin!
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