Terry Duncan wrote: ↑26 Feb 2021, 19:25
Only because Germany was intending to make those decisions for everyone else by declaring war on them.
Since the Russians continued with their "A" variant mobilization even when at war with Germany, and while signaling diplomatically to the Austrians, it is concluded that the Russians were being deceptive and no intention other than to attack Austria once their mobilization preparations were completed. Otherwise, why didn't they switch to their G variant mobilization on 2 August?
If the Russians were lying to the Austrians after 1 August, then they were lying to them before 1 August....
There were points where it was though one or more European powers might join the Boers, the power making the most noise probably needs no direct mention!?
The British continued alliance discussions with Germany during the Boer War. Were they confused?
Russia 'went to war' because it was attempting to stop Austria attacking Serbia. Russia and Britain were still trying to create an acceptable formula to save the peace at the end of the crisis, unlike Austria and Germany who made no proposals for a peaceful solution and had already long before decided that war was the desirable outcome.
The Russian Tzar issued a proclimation in August 1914 liberating Poland from German and Austrian rule because this was needed to stop an Austrian attack on Serbia? This is what you are saying? The Russians thought that unifying Poland under the Russian flag was a necessary precondition to stopping an Austrian attack on Serbia?
Grey said that if Austria could manage to have a war with Serbia where no other power was involved then there was no problem, but if another power did become involved it would end in catastrophe. Austria made no attempt to lay any diplomatic grounds allowing such an outcome. Austria also involved Germany from the first week in July, who's only real attempt for a settlement was to demand Austria be able to do as it liked whilst threatening anyone who may not like such a settlement, other than to lie to everyone about knowing nothing long after it became obvious they were directly involved.
Grey's only neutrality proposal to Germany (29 July) was that if Germany remained neutral in an Austro-Russian war, that France and Britain could remain neutral also. This meant that any Germany conflict with Russia automatically brought with it the prospect of Anglo-French intervention against Germany. That was the Entente policy and not the 1839 treaty as the driving force..
So, why didnt war break out in 1909, 1911, 1913 etc? The 'adventurism' that took Europe to war in 1914 was Austrian and German adventurism, attempting to start a war whilst ignoring other powers interests. Why is it that the only suggestions for a settlement short of war came from the Entente powers or Italy? None came from Austria or Germany.
Because Russia had been so badly defeated in 1905 that it took until 1914 before it was confident to start a world war.
There was no indication he was going to be killed in 1914, indeed even in 1916 it was not the most likely outcome. The Tzar was indeed an idiot, he should not have taken control of the army and he should have locked his idiot wife in a monastry where she could do no harm in true Tzarist fashion. Hindsight and imagination are poor substitutes for factual knowledge of the time when the decisions were made.
Russian incompetence doomed the Russian empire and ended the Romanov dynasty. By 1914 it should have been clear to Russian leaders that the time for the alliance with France was ending. The Russian Romanov dynasty's future was with the other monarchies.
That is rather laughable. France was clearly the strongest power in Europe after WWI and had the terms of Versailles been enforced Germany, with is 100,000 man army was not going to scoop up anything.
France occupied Germany in the 1920's and failed miserably because it was the strongest power?
Quite possibly not if France had declared war on Germany. There would be debate certainly, and it is possible that Britain would join in, but it is also possible they would not do so in the case of a Franco-Russian attack on Germany as Grey hinted at to Lichnowsky when considering the future 'if the present crisis could be passed'.
Britain was entering the war in all cases, and would no doubt blame Germany for it.