100 Years ago today

[AZOffaly]

28th of July, 1914. Austria declares war on Serbia following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and weeks of political maneuvering from Britain, Germany, France, Russia and Austria-Hungary. This is the catalyst for the First World War, and millions of deaths across Europe and beyond.

Austria issues manifesto and declares war on Serbia at noon: refuses proposals of mediation or Conference: has no quarrel with Russia.
Russia says mobilisation of Southern Corps will be announced tomorrow, but she has no aggressive intentions against Germany.
Russian Ambassador at Vienna wires to M. Sazonov that Austrian general mobilisation order has been signed.
Kaiser wires to Tsar he will use his influence with Austria.
Germany conciliatory, but throws responsibility of possible war on Russia.

[Orior]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

[magpie seanie]

Isn't it wonderful to see how much we have come on from this...oh wait

[From the Bunker]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

Possibly, the war that started all wars for the last 100 years!

[seafoid]

WW1 was triggered by an economic crash . Most of them are. War is a part of the economic system

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2012/07/10/1078071/the-negative-fear-bubble/
Capital must be destroyed in order for liquidity to be usefully deployed once again — especially if it is to deliver investment returns.Hence, why wars are so hugely useful for dealing with economic depressions. They permanently and effectively destroy capacity. Not just the surplus capacity that plagues the system, but core capacity, which serves a genuine economic need. Indeed, it's the need for the capacity to be reinstalled that in many ways justifies a return on investment again.

[macdanger2]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

[blewuporstuffed]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

I think the british initially treated the russians as being  the  german side as well

[LeoMc]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

I think the british initially treated the russians as being  the  german side as well

Not so sure about that. I am reading Max Hastings book on it at the moment. The Russians v The Germans was always going to be the main clash of Empires.
Austria/Hungary going after Serbia was a bit of 19th Century posturing, a duel to settle a slight but the Russians did not want A/H getting control of the Bosphorus and locking them into the Black sea so they were backing the Slavs.
The Germans wanted a war sooner rather that later as the Russians were getting stronger and so encouraged the A/H empire into attacking Serbia.

The French were tied in with the Russians, the British less so as they were more concerned about the possibility of civil war at home. It was only the Germans taking a shortcut through Belgium to get at France dragged them in.

[BennyCake]

WW1 was all about which empire was top dog. The same as all wars. It's sad that people are brainwashed into war via the tyrannical nutbar leader thing.

[blewuporstuffed]

I read somewhere that some people think the Nazis took part in WW1.

Anyway, this was meant to be the war that ended all wars. Whoever said that needs their head examined.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

I think the british initially treated the russians as being  the  german side as well

Not so sure about that. I am reading Max Hastings book on it at the moment. The Russians v The Germans was always going to be the main clash of Empires.
Austria/Hungary going after Serbia was a bit of 19th Century posturing, a duel to settle a slight but the Russians did not want A/H getting control of the Bosphorus and locking them into the Black sea so they were backing the Slavs.
The Germans wanted a war sooner rather that later as the Russians were getting stronger and so encouraged the A/H empire into attacking Serbia.

The French were tied in with the Russians, the British less so as they were more concerned about the possibility of civil war at home. It was only the Germans taking a shortcut through Belgium to get at France dragged them in.

i could be wrong but i thought that russia invaded finland at the start of the war which the british and french viewed as acting on the german side, it was only latter they became allies.

[LeoMc]

They were together in the triple entente against the triple alliance but it was probably a case of my enemy's enemy!
They would have been on opposing sides in the great game in the previous decades so the alliances would have been shaky at best. Russia's great fear when marching on Austria Hungary would have been that Britain would not join in at the appropriate time.

[armaghniac]

i could be wrong but i thought that russia invaded finland at the start of the war which the british and french viewed as acting on the german side, it was only latter they became allies.

Russia invaded Finland at the start of the Second World War. In the First War Finland was already under Russian rule, albeit with a sort of Home Rule.

[blewuporstuffed]

i could be wrong but i thought that russia invaded finland at the start of the war which the british and french viewed as acting on the german side, it was only latter they became allies.

Russia invaded Finland at the start of the Second World War. In the First War Finland was already under Russian rule, albeit with a sort of Home Rule.

Yes , it was WWII i was refering too

in response to this

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

[macdanger2]

i could be wrong but i thought that russia invaded finland at the start of the war which the british and french viewed as acting on the german side, it was only latter they became allies.

Russia invaded Finland at the start of the Second World War. In the First War Finland was already under Russian rule, albeit with a sort of Home Rule.

Yes , it was WWII i was refering too

in response to this

Yeah, a lot of people seem to assume that because Germany were the aggressor in WWII, the same applies to WWI when in fact it was another imperial war for the most part.

As FTB says, it was a large part of the reason for WWII starting and the subsequent consequences of that.

I previously read (open to correction on this) that the US were seriously considering which side of the war they would enter.on, who knows what would have happened if they had chosen differently.

I was referring to WWI where the US were considering entering on the German side

[blewuporstuffed]

Oh right ok,  i picked you up wrong.
The whole subject of the sides certain countries took in the war and their motives for it is an interesting one, as some one else mention, alot of it was a case of 'my enemy's enemy is my friend'