New York Times Current History, Vol 1, No. 2WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? CASE FOR THE TRIPLE ENTENTE 276Reading editionChapter navigation147 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…Front matter"Who Began the War, and Why?"WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? THE CASE FOR GERMANY 209Speeches by Kaiser Wilhelm II.209The Mighty Fate of Europe 219Austria-Hungary's Version of the War 225A German Review of the Evidence 228"Truth About Germany" 244Speculations About Peace, September, 1914 Report to President Wilson. 273WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? CASE FOR THE TRIPLE ENTENTE 276FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL. Speeches by British Ministers. 276Great Britain's Mobilization 294Summons of the Nation to Arms 308Teachings of Gen. von Bernhardi 343Entrance of France Into War 350Russia to Her Enemy Slav Emperor Announces New Policies. 358"The Facts About Belgium" 365Belgo-British Plot Alleged by Germany 369WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? Atrocities of the War 374Bombardment of Rheims Cathedral 392WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? The Socialists' Part 397SPEECHES BY KAISER WILHELM II.HIS INDISCRETION WAS "CALCULATED."WILHELM II.'S LETTER TO LORD TWEEDMOUTH.The Mighty Fate of EuropeDECLARES FOR WAR.[01]STATEMENT TO AMERICA.GERMANY'S ARMAMENTS.Austria-Hungary's Version of the WarMANIFESTO.A German Review of the EvidenceI. THE RUSSIAN MOBILIZATION.II. GREY'S OMISSIONS AND ERRORS.III. THE AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE.IV. BELGIAN NEUTRALITY."Truth About Germany"HOW THE WAR CAME ABOUT.REICHSTAG AND EMPEROR.THE GERMAN MOBILIZATION.ARMY AND NAVY.THE ATTITUDES OF GERMANY'S ENEMIES.LIES ABOUT GERMANY.GERMANY AND THE FOREIGNER.COMMERCE AND TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN GERMANY AND UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.WHO IS TO BE VICTORIOUS?Speculations About Peace, September, 1914FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL."A CLOUD OVER EUROPE."AUSTRO-SERVIAN CRISIS.A GRAVE SITUATION.RISK OF A CATASTROPHE.OPPOSITION CONCURS.PEACE THE GREAT OBJECT.RUSSIA'S MOBILIZATION.THE GERMAN INVASION.PEACE OF EUROPE CANNOT BE PRESERVED.GERMANY AND BELGIUM.UNHESITATING SUPPORT.CHANGED IRISH FEELING.GREAT BRITAIN'S ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY.PENETRATION OF BELGIAN TERRITORY.Great Britain's MobilizationKING TO BRITAIN'S FLEET.NAPOLEONISM ONCE AGAIN.PACT OF TRIPLE ENTENTE.A COUNTERSTROKE.IMPERIAL MESSAGE TO THE BRITISH DOMINIONS.438,000 MEN RECRUITED.EARL KITCHENER'S SPEECH ON RECRUITSPARLIAMENT PROROGUED.Summons of the Nation to ArmsPRIME MINISTER'S LETTER.MR. ASQUITH IN LONDON.GERMANY SPEAKS.GREAT BRITAIN REPLIES.MR. ASQUITH AT EDINBURGH.MR. ASQUITH AT DUBLIN.MR. ASQUITH AT CARDIFF.LORD CURZON'S EXPERIENCE.NOW THE WAR HAS COME.THE GREAT WAR.Teachings of Gen. von BernhardiEntrance of France Into WarNEUTRALIZED STATE RESPECTED.THE NATION IN ARMS.POSITION OF THE REPUBLIC.BEFORE THE MARNE BATTLE.Russia to Her Enemy Slav Emperor Announces New Policies.A MANIFESTO.CZAR AT THE KREMLIN.APPEAL TO THE POLES.THE POLISH RESPONSE.NO ALLIANCE WITH GERMANYPOLISH AMERICAN OPINION.RUSSIA AGAINST GERMANY.DUMA'S MESSAGE TO BRITAIN.NEW POLICY AND THE JEWS.WAR ON GERMAN TRADE.FOE TO GERMAN MILITARISM.NOT A QUESTION OF SLAV PREDOMINANCE.RUSSIA'S "LITTLE BROTHER.""The Facts About Belgium"Belgo-British Plot Alleged by GermanyGREAT BRITAIN'S DENIAL.REPLY TO GREAT BRITAIN.GRAY BOOK'S TESTIMONY.BELGIUM'S ANSWER.WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? ATROCITIES OF THE WARTHE POPE'S DYING WORDS.GERMAN KAISER'S PROTEST.REPLY TO THE KAISER.CHARGE AGAINST GERMANY.M. DELCASSE'S NOTE.THE BELGIAN MISSION.M. DE WIART'S ADDRESS.PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY.OFFICIAL SUMMARY.I. Acts at Linsmeau and Orsmael.II. Report on Aerschot.III. Destruction of Louvain.FURTHER REPORTS.A SUPPLEMENT."NOT A WORD OF TRUTH."GERMANY'S VERSIONS.LOUVAIN'S ART TREASURES.Bombardment of Rheims CathedralPOPE BENEDICT SILENT.ATTACK NOT WILLFUL."SPARE THE CATHEDRAL."THE FRENCH ARE BLAMEDTHE DAMAGE DONE.HOW INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISTS ARMED AGAINST EACH OTHER."ENVOY OF MY PARTY."MINISTER JULES GUESDE."REVOLUTION!"COMPOSURE IS NECESSARY.PRESSURE FOR PEACE.HUGO HAASE AT BRUSSELS.HAASE IN THE REICHSTAG.GERMAN SOCIALISTS DIVIDED.SOCIALISTS STILL GERMANS."CRITIQUE OF WEAPONS."SOCIALISTS OF ITALY FIRM.BRITISH MANIFESTO.KEIR HARDIE'S QUESTIONS.REPLY TO MINISTER GREY.MR. MACDONALD REPENTS.Previous chapter ←Speculations About Peace, September, 1914 Report to President Wilson. 273Next chapter →FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL. Speeches by British Ministers. 276All chapters and sections (147)Opening pagesFront matterOther sections"Who Began the War, and Why?"WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? THE CASE FOR GERMANY 209Speeches by Kaiser Wilhelm II.209The Mighty Fate of Europe 219Austria-Hungary's Version of the War 225A German Review of the Evidence 228"Truth About Germany" 244Speculations About Peace, September, 1914 Report to President Wilson. 273WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? CASE FOR THE TRIPLE ENTENTE 276FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL. Speeches by British Ministers. 276Great Britain's Mobilization 294Summons of the Nation to Arms 308Teachings of Gen. von Bernhardi 343Entrance of France Into War 350Russia to Her Enemy Slav Emperor Announces New Policies. 358"The Facts About Belgium" 365Belgo-British Plot Alleged by Germany 369WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? Atrocities of the War 374Bombardment of Rheims Cathedral 392Parts397Part 397 · Other sectionsSPEECHES BY KAISER WILHELM II.HIS INDISCRETION WAS "CALCULATED."WILHELM II.'S LETTER TO LORD TWEEDMOUTH.The Mighty Fate of EuropeDECLARES FOR WAR.[01]STATEMENT TO AMERICA.GERMANY'S ARMAMENTS.Austria-Hungary's Version of the WarMANIFESTO.A German Review of the EvidenceI. THE RUSSIAN MOBILIZATION.II. GREY'S OMISSIONS AND ERRORS.III. THE AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE.IV. BELGIAN NEUTRALITY."Truth About Germany"HOW THE WAR CAME ABOUT.REICHSTAG AND EMPEROR.THE GERMAN MOBILIZATION.ARMY AND NAVY.THE ATTITUDES OF GERMANY'S ENEMIES.LIES ABOUT GERMANY.GERMANY AND THE FOREIGNER.COMMERCE AND TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN GERMANY AND UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.WHO IS TO BE VICTORIOUS?Speculations About Peace, September, 1914FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL."A CLOUD OVER EUROPE."AUSTRO-SERVIAN CRISIS.A GRAVE SITUATION.RISK OF A CATASTROPHE.OPPOSITION CONCURS.PEACE THE GREAT OBJECT.RUSSIA'S MOBILIZATION.THE GERMAN INVASION.PEACE OF EUROPE CANNOT BE PRESERVED.GERMANY AND BELGIUM.UNHESITATING SUPPORT.CHANGED IRISH FEELING.GREAT BRITAIN'S ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY.PENETRATION OF BELGIAN TERRITORY.Great Britain's MobilizationKING TO BRITAIN'S FLEET.NAPOLEONISM ONCE AGAIN.PACT OF TRIPLE ENTENTE.A COUNTERSTROKE.IMPERIAL MESSAGE TO THE BRITISH DOMINIONS.438,000 MEN RECRUITED.EARL KITCHENER'S SPEECH ON RECRUITSPARLIAMENT PROROGUED.Summons of the Nation to ArmsPRIME MINISTER'S LETTER.MR. ASQUITH IN LONDON.GERMANY SPEAKS.GREAT BRITAIN REPLIES.MR. ASQUITH AT EDINBURGH.MR. ASQUITH AT DUBLIN.MR. ASQUITH AT CARDIFF.LORD CURZON'S EXPERIENCE.NOW THE WAR HAS COME.THE GREAT WAR.Teachings of Gen. von BernhardiEntrance of France Into WarNEUTRALIZED STATE RESPECTED.THE NATION IN ARMS.POSITION OF THE REPUBLIC.BEFORE THE MARNE BATTLE.Russia to Her Enemy Slav Emperor Announces New Policies.A MANIFESTO.CZAR AT THE KREMLIN.APPEAL TO THE POLES.THE POLISH RESPONSE.NO ALLIANCE WITH GERMANYPOLISH AMERICAN OPINION.RUSSIA AGAINST GERMANY.DUMA'S MESSAGE TO BRITAIN.NEW POLICY AND THE JEWS.WAR ON GERMAN TRADE.FOE TO GERMAN MILITARISM.NOT A QUESTION OF SLAV PREDOMINANCE.RUSSIA'S "LITTLE BROTHER.""The Facts About Belgium"Belgo-British Plot Alleged by GermanyGREAT BRITAIN'S DENIAL.REPLY TO GREAT BRITAIN.GRAY BOOK'S TESTIMONY.BELGIUM'S ANSWER.WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? ATROCITIES OF THE WARTHE POPE'S DYING WORDS.GERMAN KAISER'S PROTEST.REPLY TO THE KAISER.CHARGE AGAINST GERMANY.M. DELCASSE'S NOTE.THE BELGIAN MISSION.M. DE WIART'S ADDRESS.PRESIDENT WILSON'S REPLY.OFFICIAL SUMMARY.I. Acts at Linsmeau and Orsmael.II. Report on Aerschot.III. Destruction of Louvain.FURTHER REPORTS.A SUPPLEMENT."NOT A WORD OF TRUTH."GERMANY'S VERSIONS.LOUVAIN'S ART TREASURES.Bombardment of Rheims CathedralPOPE BENEDICT SILENT.ATTACK NOT WILLFUL."SPARE THE CATHEDRAL."THE FRENCH ARE BLAMEDTHE DAMAGE DONE.HOW INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISTS ARMED AGAINST EACH OTHER."ENVOY OF MY PARTY."MINISTER JULES GUESDE."REVOLUTION!"COMPOSURE IS NECESSARY.PRESSURE FOR PEACE.HUGO HAASE AT BRUSSELS.HAASE IN THE REICHSTAG.GERMAN SOCIALISTS DIVIDED.SOCIALISTS STILL GERMANS."CRITIQUE OF WEAPONS."SOCIALISTS OF ITALY FIRM.BRITISH MANIFESTO.KEIR HARDIE'S QUESTIONS.REPLY TO MINISTER GREY.MR. MACDONALD REPENTS.WHO BEGAN THE WAR, AND WHY? CASE FOR THE TRIPLE ENTENTE 276← Speculations About Peace, September, 1914 Report to President Wilson. 273FIRST WARNINGS OF EUROPE'S PERIL. Speeches by British Ministers. 276 →