11 November 1918: The Armistice on the Western Front on this day.

[The Field Marshal]

It wasn't a Family squabble that triggered WWI

Not entirely true either.
The unstable Kaiser was persistently ridiculed by his English first cousins when he visited there before the war.
He retained a strong personal animosity against the English that no doubt clouded his better judgement.
His personal correspondence clearly shows a strong grudge and contempt.
His foreign policy advisors were aware of this but unable to reason with him.

 

[page61]

I always loved this track though.. Dropped d tuning

 

[The Potato Mystic]

The war happened because Germany was gaining strength at the heart of Europe, France jutted out precariously into the Atlantic ocean in the midst of this, facing the prospect of geopolitical demotion and Britain didn't need a surging Germany to interfere with its access to India. Anglo-Franco banking interests were also engaged in war profiteering in Russia and Serbia. Grey was a mischievous influence as well.

 

[The Field Marshal]

The war happened because Germany was graining strength at the heart of Europe, France jutted out precariously into the Atlantic ocean in the midst of this, facing the prospect of geopolitical demotion and Britain didn't need a surging Germany to interfere with its access to India. Anglo-Franco banking interests were also engaged in war profiteering in Russia and Serbia. Grey was a mischievous influence as well.

Truly sinister.
His namesake as US ambassador to Ireland during WW2 was even more pernicious.

 

[Catalpa]

In layman's terms it was

No it wasn't - not even close

They could all have been republics and they still would have been in the same boat

- & indeed on one of them was

- & another joined later...

 

[Catalpa]

Not entirely true either.
The unstable Kaiser was persistently ridiculed by his English first cousins when he visited there before the war.
He retained a strong personal animosity against the English that no doubt clouded his better judgement.
His personal correspondence clearly shows a strong grudge and contempt.
His foreign policy advisors were aware of this but unable to reason with him.

Yes as maybe, the man certainly had a chip on his shoulder but he didn't wish for or initiate a war against the Kingdom of his much loved cousin George...

Here they are in happier times:

 

[parentheses]

Professor Peter Frankopan has pointed out how the British were actually terrified of the Russians. His analysis tends to suggest that Britain "befriended" the Russians in 1907 but with the intention of re-directing the latter towards Constantinople. Prior to 1905, the Russians were expanding in Manchuria and also seemed to be posing a threat to India. The British preferred to have Russia menacing Constantinople. But this was a recipe for war. Because it signalled to all the European powers that Turkey was up for grabs. In the following years, Italy grabbed Libya, and two wars followed in the Balkans. And in 1914, an incident in the Balkans triggered WW I.

 

[Catalpa]

Professor Peter Frankopan has pointed out how the British were actually terrified of the Russians. His analysis tends to suggest that Britain "befriended" the Russians in 1907 but with the intention of re-directing the latter towards Constantinople. Prior to 1905, the Russians were expanding in Manchuria and also seemed to be posing a threat to India. The British preferred to have Russia menacing Constantinople. But this was a recipe for war. Because it signalled to all the European powers that Turkey was up for grabs. In the following years, Italy grabbed Libya, and two wars followed in the Balkans. And in 1914, an incident in the Balkans triggered WW I.

British policy was always to ensure the Russians didn't take Constantinople which would have upset the apple cart mightily

- though a Slavic Army nearly did take it in 1912/1913

The Turks still have it BTW

 

[parentheses]

British policy was always to ensure the Russians didn't take Constantinople which would have upset the apple cart mightily

- though a Slavic Army nearly did take it in 1912/1913

The Turks still have it BTW

Quoting Frankopan from his book, "The Silk Roads", "in 1907, Sir Edward Grey told the Russian Ambassador to London that Britain might consider being more flexible on the issue of the Bosphorus -if the Russians agreed to establish 'permanent good relations'.

Also remember in 1915 the British promised to give Constantinople to Russia via a secret treaty.

 

[Catalpa]

Quoting Frankopan from his book, "The Silk Roads", "in 1907, Sir Edward Grey told the Russian Ambassador to London that Britain might consider being more flexible on the issue of the Bosphorus -if the Russians agreed to establish 'permanent good relations'.

Also remember in 1915 the British promised to give Constantinople to Russia via a secret treaty.

The 1907 Treaty between Russia & UK was not about Turkey though but about Persia & Afghanistan.

In 1915 Britain & Russia were already at War with Turkey. In War allies will promise you the Earth if you do such and such a thing in return for doing this that and the other....and hoping they never have to honour those commitments!

 

[FF/FG/Lab/SF..stitchup]

what ever happened to ''the war to end all wars'' ?

cos all i can remember since 1918 is a constant succession of wars, fighting, and more wars.

 

[parentheses]

The 1907 Treaty between Russia & UK was not about Turkey though but about Persia & Afghanistan.

In 1915 Britain & Russia were already at War with Turkey. In War allies will promise you the Earth if you do such and such a thing in return for doing this that and the other....and hoping they never have to honour those commitments!

The British did try to honour the commitment. They invaded Gallipoli and took many tens of thousands of deaths and casualties.