Why 1914? by Derek Robinson
In a previous article, I explained the importance of knowing about World War I, the fracture of Europe, the downfall of empires, the appalling loss of life on all sides, the resultant echoes that still resound today. But there are also important lessons. Going to war is complex and I suspect the backstory the author illuminates, in varying forms, applies to most wars.
In his marvelous book, Why 1914?, subtitled The Causes of the Great War, Robinson goes into the ins and outs of how and why the war occurred. If that sounds dry, then you haven’t read any of his other books. The man is a genius storyteller and he takes little at face value. This book may be history, but it’s not bogged in the drudgery and clichés of your high school or college history class. This is story telling at it’s best. And what a story! This book is not just for history buffs, it’s entertainment for everyone with an inquiring mind!
Let me give a quick, if slightly inaccurate analogy of the almost inexplicable complications. Let’s say you’re desperate for food and head to an Italian restaurant. But, wait a minute, the menu is in German! You do your best in ordering, but when the dishes come out, they’re Mexican. The wine you ordered is some strange brand of cola. The first waiter spoke English, but now he’s gone and your new waiter speaks only French.
But, you know what? If you’re starving, truly starving, you don’t care! You just want to eat! And Derek Robinson’s premise is, the countries in Europe, for a number of reasons, were starving for war.
“But, wait a minute”, you’re saying, “I know from my history class that an Austrian prince was assassinated by Serbs and when Austria went to war, all the alliances just naturally followed, and nobody could stop it.
Ever ask yourself the questions: Why could nobody stop it? Why were they so ready for war? War is not an instant decision. It takes preparation.
Here are some things to consider: All the crowned heads of Europe were cousins. The King of England’s grandmother, Queen Victoria, was German. A daughter of Queen Victoria was married to the Russian Tsar; Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany was another cousin, and so on. They all knew each other and liked each other and visited each other.
As for the pre-war alliances, they changed so often it was difficult to keep track, and the strength of the alliances varied like a sine curve.
What makes Why 1914? so effortless to read is it’s an unlikely story of going to war and so fascinatingly told, going behind the headlines of the times to tell the background of an impossibly convoluted tale that eclipses any film by the Marx brothers. It’s more like a badly made Grade B movie, poorly acted, with a tangled, and unbelievable plot.
Derek Robinson reveals so many details that will make you shake your head and at times laugh out loud. Laugh at such a serious subject. No, it’s not the subject, but the incredibly incompetent characters themselves.
NEVER have I read a more complex tale, so well told! The pages turn like you’re reading a novel. A Great Novel.
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