What Germany Thinks

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What Germany Thinks

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Title: What Germany Thinks The War as Germans see it
Author: Thomas F. A. Smith
Release Date: November 21, 2003 [EBook #10166]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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WHAT GERMANY THINKS
OR THE WAR AS GERMANS SEE IT

By Thomas F.A. Smith, Ph.D.
Late English Lecturer in the University of Erlangen
Author of "The Soul of Germany: A Twelve Years' Study of the People
from Within, 1902-1914"
1915
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I
--THE CAUSES OF THE WAR
II--ON THE LEASH
III--THE DOGS LET LOOSE
IV--MOBILIZATION
V--WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS
VI--THE DÉBÂCLE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS
VII--"NECESSITY KNOWS NO LAW"
VIII--ATROCITIES
IX--THE NEUTRALITY OF BELGIUM AND GERMANY'S
ANNEXATION PROPAGANDA
X--SAIGNER À BLANC
XI--THE INTELLECTUALS AND THE WAR
XII--THE LITERATURE OF HATE

XIII--"MAN TO MAN AND STEEL TO STEEL"
INDEX
WHAT GERMANY THINKS
CHAPTER I
THE CAUSES OF THE WAR
In many quarters of the world, especially in certain sections of the
British public, people believed that the German nation was led blindly
into the World War by an unscrupulous military clique. Now, however,
there is ample evidence to prove that the entire nation was thoroughly
well informed of the course which events were taking, and also warned
as to the catastrophe to which the national course was certainly leading.
Even to-day, after more than twelve months of devastating warfare,
there is no unity of opinion in Germany as to who caused the war.
Some writers accuse France, others England, while many lay the guilt
at Russia's door. They are only unanimous in charging one or other, or
all the powers, of the Triple Entente. We shall see that every power
now at war, with the exception of Germany and Italy, has been held
responsible for Armageddon, but apparently it has not yet occurred to
Germans that the bearer of guilt for this year's bloodshed--is Germany
alone!
It is true that the conflict between Austria and Serbia forms the starting
point. Whether or not Serbia was seriously in the wrong is a matter of
opinion, but it is generally held that Austria dealt with her neighbour
with too much heat and too little discretion. Austria kindled the flames
of war, but it was Germany's mission to seize a blazing torch and set
Europe alight.
When the text of Austria's ultimatum became known, a very serious
mood came over Germany. There was not a man who did not realize
that a great European War loomed on the horizon. A well-organized,
healthy public opinion could at that period have brought the

governments of the Germanic Powers to recognize their responsibility.
Had the German Press been unanimous, it might have stopped the
avalanche. But there were two currents of opinion, the one approving,
the other condemning Austria for having thrown down the gauntlet to
Serbia and above all to Russia.
One paper exulted over the statement that every sentence in Austria's
ultimatum "was a whip-lash across Serbia's face;" a phrase expressing
so aptly the great mass of popular opinion. This expression met with
unstinted approval, for it corresponded with German ideals and
standards in dealing with an opponent. Yet there was no lack of
warnings, and very grave ones too. A glance at German newspapers
will suffice to prove this statement.
On July 24th, 1914, Krupp's organ, the _Rheinisch-Westfälische
Zeitung_, contained the following: "The Austro-Hungarian ultimatum
is nothing but a pretext for war, but this time a dangerous one. It seems
that we are standing on the verge of an Austro-Serbian war. It is
possible, very possible, that we shall have to extinguish East-European
conflagrations with our arms, either because of our treaties or from the
compulsion of events. But it is a scandal if the Imperial Government
(Berlin) has not required that such a final offer should be submitted to
it for approval before its presentation to Serbia. To-day nothing
remains for us but to declare: 'We are not bound by any alliance to
support wars let loose by the Hapsburg policy of conquest.'"
The Post wrote on the same date: "Is that a note? No! it is an ultimatum
of the sharpest kind. Within twenty-four hours Austria demands an
answer. A reply? No! but an absolute submission, the utter and
complete humiliation of Serbia. On former occasions