Questions
Who was to blame for the First World War?
Study
Sources A-F and then answer the questions which follow.
Source A
Note to the Cabinet from the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, in May
1901
The British government cannot undertake to declare war, for any purpose, unless it is a purpose of which the people of this country would approve ... I do not see how we could invite nations to rely upon our help in a struggle which must be formidable, where we have no means whatever of knowing what may be the attitude of our people in circumstances which cannot be foreseen.
Source B
An extract from an interview with Kaiser Wilhelm
II, in the Daily Telegraph, 28 October 1908
You English are like mad bulls; you see red everywhere! What on earth has come over you, that you should heap on us such suspicion? What can I do more? I have always stood forth as the friend of England.
Source C
From a speech made in the German Reichstag, November 1911, at the end
of the Agadir Crisis
Now we know where our enemy stands. Like a flash of lightning in the night, these events have shown the German people where its enemy is.... When the hour of decision comes we are prepared for sacrifices, both of blood and of treasure.
Source: M. Balfour, The Kaiser (Cresset, 1964)
Source D
Lenin in 1911
A war with Austria would be a splendid thing for the revolution. But the chances are small that Franz Josef and Nicholas will give us such a treat.
Source: E.H. Carr, The Bolshevik Revolution (Macmillan, 1951, vol. I)
Source E
The cartoon 'A Chain of Friendship'
published in an American newspaper, the Brooklyn Eagle, July 1914.
Britain is at the end of the line (right)
Source F
Telegram from Tsar Nicholas II of Russia to George
V of England, 2 August 1914
Ever since the presentation of the Austrian ultimatum at Belgrade, Russia has devoted all her efforts to some peaceful solution of the questions raised by Austria's actions. The effect of this action would have been to upset the balance of power in the Balkans which is of such vital interest to my Empire. Every proposal put forward was rejected by Germany and Austria.
(a) Explain briefly how the situation shown in Source E had arisen during the twenty years before 1914.
(b)
According to Source F, why was the Tsar so worried about 'Austria's
actions'?
(c) Using information from Sources B and C, describe Germany's attitude towards Britain.
(d) From the evidence of Sources A and E, how did the British attitude to war change between 1901 and 1914?
(e) 'Nobody really wanted war in 1914'. How useful are these sources in helping you to decide whether this statement is true or not?
(f) How reliable do you think each of these sources is for historians trying to decide who was to blame for the war?
