Germany and the Next War

Germany and the Next War

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Title: Germany and the Next War
Author: Friedrich von Bernhardi
Release Date: February 28, 2004 [EBook #11352]
Language: English
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GERMANY AND THE NEXT WAR

BY GENERAL FRIEDRICH VON BERNHARDI

TRANSLATED BY ALLEN H. POWLES
1912

All the patriotic sections of the German people were greatly excited
during the summer and autumn of 1911. The conviction lay heavy on
all hearts that in the settlement of the Morocco dispute no mere

commercial or colonial question of minor importance was being
discussed, but that the honour and future of the German nation were at
stake. A deep rift had opened between the feeling of the nation and the
diplomatic action of the Government. Public opinion, which was
clearly in favour of asserting ourselves, did not understand the dangers
of our political position, and the sacrifices which a boldly-outlined
policy would have demanded. I cannot say whether the nation, which
undoubtedly in an overwhelming majority would have gladly obeyed
the call to arms, would have been equally ready to bear permanent and
heavy burdens of taxation. Haggling about war contributions is as
pronounced a characteristic of the German Reichstag in modern Berlin
as it was in medieval Regensburg. These conditions have induced me to
publish now the following pages, which were partly written some time
ago.
Nobody can fail to see that we have reached a crisis in our national and
political development. At such times it is necessary to be absolutely
clear on three points: the goals to be aimed at, the difficulties to be
surmounted, and the sacrifices to be made.
The task I have set myself is to discuss these matters, stripped of all
diplomatic disguise, as clearly and convincingly as possible. It is
obvious that this can only be done by taking a national point of view.
Our science, our literature, and the warlike achievements of our past,
have made me proudly conscious of belonging to a great civilized
nation which, in spite of all the weakness and mistakes of bygone days,
must, and assuredly will, win a glorious future; and it is out of the
fulness of my German heart that I have recorded my convictions. I
believe that thus I shall most effectually rouse the national feeling in
my readers' hearts, and strengthen the national purpose.
THE AUTHOR.
_October, 1911_

CONTENTS
PREFACE

INTRODUCTION
Power of the peace idea--Causes of the love of peace in Germany--

German consciousness of strength--Lack of definite political aims
--Perilous situation of Germany and the conditions of successful
self-assertion--Need to test the authority of the peace idea, and to
explain the tasks and aims of Germany in the light of history

CHAPTER I
THE RIGHT TO MAKE WAR
Pacific ideals and arbitration--The biological necessity of war--The
duty of self-assertion--The right of conquest--The struggle for
employment--War a moral obligation--Beneficent results of war --War
from the Christian and from the materialist standpoints-- Arbitration
and international law--Destructiveness and immorality of peace
aspirations--Real and Utopian humanity--Dangerous results of peace
aspirations in Germany--The duty of the State

CHAPTER II
THE DUTY TO MAKE WAR
Bismarck and the justification of war--The duty to fight--The teaching
of history--War only justifiable on adequate grounds--The foundations
of political morality--Political and individual morality --The grounds
for making war--The decision to make war--The responsibility of the
statesman

CHAPTER III
A BRIEF SURVEY OF GERMANY'S HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENT
The ways of Providence in history--Christianity and the Germans-- The
Empire and the Papacy--Breach between the German World Empire
and the revived spiritual power--Rise of the great States of Europe and
political downfall of Germany after the Thirty Years' War--Rise of the
Prussian State--The epoch of the Revolution and the War of
Liberation--Intellectual supremacy of Germany--After the War of
Liberation--Germany under William I. and Bismarck--Change in the
conception of the State and the principle of nationality--New economic

developments and the World Power of England--Rise of other World
Powers-- Socialism, and how to overcome it--German science and art--
Internal disintegration of Germany and her latent strength

CHAPTER IV
GERMANY'S HISTORICAL MISSION
Grounds of the intellectual supremacy of Germany--Germany's role as
spiritual and intellectual leader--Conquest of religious and social
obstacles--Inadequacy of our present political position-- To secure what
we have won our first duty--Necessity of increasing our political
power--Necessity of colonial expansion-- Menace to