The diplomatic history of the war

Preface

THIS War is by universal consent the greatest catastrophe of modern times. To dwell upon its social ravages and economic ruin is not my present purpose. While we are engaged in a struggle for national existence the responsibility for the mischief may be hidden or disguised by passion, excitement, Press censorship, and martial law. But the time will come when the record of historical facts which led all Europe to this fate will have to be examined and the blame apportioned. A duty is therefore imposed upon some of us to collect these records before they are covered with the cobwebs of time, to co-ordinate them, and to set them forth for the judgment of a wider public.

Meanwhile, as we wait upon the course of military events and economic exhaustion, we may with profit study the work of the great European diplomats whose skill and competence have hatched Armageddon out of the Serajevo egg.

Personally, I believe that the judgment of mankind on the War will depend more on its consequences than on its origins, and that in this way the truth of the Greek philosopher's words, " By suffering we learn," will be realized in due course of time. Nevertheless, in the recollections of the past we can always find a guide to the future, and therefore it seems to me a duty to collect and collate such diplomatic and political facts about the causes of the War as have already come to light.

vi THE DIPLOMATIC HISTORY OF THE WAR

I have therefore sought in a preliminary chapter to go back and examine why this conflagration has spread from Eastern Europe, and to uncover the methods by which the diplomacy in the different capitals has worked, leading Europe to the inevitable and disastrous end. For this purpose I have first glanced at the history of the relations of the European Powers to each other for the last twenty years, in order to bring before our minds the state of affairs in Europe at the time when this crisis developed. Then I have given as complete an account as I have been able of the course of the negotiations and the events that took place each day in the important capitals in Europe for the fourteen days before the outbreak of war. For this purpose I have dissected the English White Paper and placed all the facts related therein in chronological order. With this I have fitted in similar material from the German Denkschrift, the Russian Orange Book (from my own translation of the Russian text), the Belgian Grey Book, the Austrian White Paper, and other material. Thus a record is obtained of all the relevant events in chronological order. There is included also an account of the military preparations and mobilizations in the countries concerned, largely based on the reports of Press correspondents.

From the above material I think the reader will be able to see concisely and consecutively what was passing through the minds of the diplomats of the now belligerent Powers, and what efforts they made for peace. It will be possible also to see how the guardians of the peace of Europe were being daily frightened and stampeded by fear and distrust of each other or by anxiety for their own prestige, and how they were finally overborne by the military party in each country. In the running comments which I have added I have taken it upon myself to indicate where blame or praise seems justly to be deserved.

In some later chapters I have added a number of

PREFACE vii

official documents which do not appear in any of the Government publications hitherto issued ; also texts of the Treaties bearing upon certain points of importance, Parliamentary speeches, and some of the more important Press correspondence, the sources of which have been duly acknowledged. Amongst the Parliamentary speeches I have myself made or have obtained translations of the declarations on the outbreak of war by the statesmen and public leaders in France, Germany, and Russia. The similarity of the sentiments in all these speeches is almost as noteworthy as the support which has been obtained by all from the official exponents of Christianity, art, science, philosophy, and letters. Each Foreign Minister or spokesman of his Government claimed that his country worked for peace, but was forced to take the sword through envious and hostile neighbours who were attacking it. Each said the War was only in self-defence and asked for national unity, while the Sovereigns appealed to the Deity to bless their arms, and the Churches, under the inspiration of State policy, have declared it to be a " Holy War." On the other hand, the Social Democrats or advanced Left parties of all countries declared that they had no quarrel with the workers of other lands, and denounced the War as a war of capitalists and bureaucrats ; but, when once the die was cast, they agreed to follow their Governments in the defence of their national existence. With such irony as this the history of the last few days of peace is filled.

My special thanks are due to my friend Mr. Dudley Ward, who afforded me great assistance in compiling and arranging the material, and whose knowledge of the course of diplomatic proceedings in Berlin was of the utmost value to me.

M. PHILIPS PRICE, TiBBERTON Court, Gloucester, October 19, 1914.