Volume 16 , Issue 25

1914 War - General European War Seems Assured

Back in 1914, Ottumwa Tri-Weekly Courier, date 4 August 1914, in Ottumwa, Iowa, it was hard to see how other nations could prevent being drawn into the struggle whether they want to or not. All were preparing for possible emergencies. England was holding back, but it would be called on by Belgians for aid. Germans had violated neutrality of "Little Kingdom" by sending forces through on the way to the French Frontier. People were expecting war.

London, 3 Aug. (1914) -- Violation of neutrality by Germany, frontier raids by German, Russian, and French troops; clashes between outposts, the bombardment of a Russian Baltic port by a German warship and the seizure of merchant ships by Russia and Germany, constituted the striking features of the war in 1914 on which virtually the whole continent of Europe had started. The position to be taken by the British emporia remained still to be defined. It was feared that Germans attaching the Belgian frontier guards would lead to war with England. Great Britain stood pledged to maintain Belgium's neutrality.

Evidences were not lacking of the grave view of the situation taken by all classes in the United Kingdom. The leaders of the opposition parties were called into council by the cabinet and it was reported that the cancellation of Filed Marshal Lord Kitchener's return to Egypt was a prelude to his appointment as minster of war.

It was asserted that the day before to be the intention of the British navy to take instant action in case a German soldier should set foot on Belgian soil.

London, Aug 3. (1914) -- A Brussel's dispatch to Exchange Telegraph said Belgian cabinet's response to the German not offering an entente if Belgium would facilitate the movement of German troops, had been given and was in the nature of a formal refusal.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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