The results of Hart's efforts was a well-organized book that tried to isolate the most important details of the war and show how they related to each other.
It was a disciplined attempt to apply some kind of order to one of the worst kinds of disorder—war. It led to this astutely worded summary of the war:
(Serbia was referred to as Servia in many books published in 1914)
The conclusion is irresistible that practically every nation interested accepts the war as a thing for which it was not responsible, and which it could no more avoid than it could avoid an avalanche.Like other 1914 books about World War I, The War in Europe took a close look at each of the countries involved in the war. Hart broke them down into the six Great Powers (Italy, France, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Russia, and Germany) and the minor powers of Europe, including the Scandinavian countries, Belgium, and the critically important Balkan states.
The Austrians, without the slightest doubt, believed that their empire would fall to pieces unless they once for all stopped the growth of Servia. The Servians saw no escape except to call out their army for the third time in two years. The Russians were genuinely convinced that the crushing of Servia would mean the control of the Balkans by Germany and Austria. The Germans were sure that the Russians in attacking Austria were attacking Germanism, and they they must take up the challenge. The French had less direct cause than other powers for offensive action, but had been waiting for forty years for the opportunity to get back their lost provinces. The Belgians lay in the most direct path of a great power, and had no choice but to expiate their geography with blood. The English kept up the greatest navy in the world in order that they might be ready to prevent the lodgement of any rival power on their shores or on the coast opposite them.
Everybody, thinking and unthinking, seemed absolutely certain that his state must fight or be destroyed.
He shone a particularly hard light on the tensions between Austria and Russia during the Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913. Hart made a persuasive case that a lot of the defensive hostilities that led to World War I in 1914 had their roots in these Balkan conflicts:
The breach between Russia and Austria [during the buildup to World War I] had been foreseen for several years and relations were repeatedly strained during the Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913. The results of these threats of wars which did not come about was that each side seems to have been pretty sure that if the other were pushed to an extremity it would yield on any minor question, rather than go to war.The Balkan wars also featured the mediation efforts of Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Minister of Great Britain. Grey helped prevent the Balkan wars from spreading across Europe, but his similar efforts in 1914 could not stop the beginning of World War I.
The tense days of late July and early August of 1914 included diplomatic attempts to prevent a war by Emperor William of Germany, who was related to the leaders of Great Britain and Russia. Hart treated William more sympathetically than many other writers, but Hart also acknowledged Germany's role in the start of the war, especially its aggressive march through Belgium.
Hart (1854-1943) was a well-known historian who is described on the title page of The War in Europe as a "professor of the science of government at Harvard University." He had written many books on American history, and had edited multi-volume efforts like the American Nation series.
The War in Europe built on this background to describe the effect of the war on the United States. Hart asserted that the United States was woefully prepared for war if it should ever be attacked. He suggested that the United States adopt a policy of general universal service, like many European countries had. Such a policy would not only improve military preparedness, but also make young people better prepared for life.
The European war was making the United States more aware of its place in a much larger world, Hart noted. The economic effects would be great, affecting both imports from and exports to the warring countries.
Another economic point of The War in Europe was the colonial strength of each country involved in the war, and how that strength might help them in the war. Hart had a nonjudgmental attitude about colonialism, as if he accepted it as a normal part of the world economy.
In the final chapters of The War in Europe, Hart vacillated between a cold hard realism about the European war and idealistic thoughts about what it might take to prevent future wars.
In one place, he wrote that "Everybody is taught that the only rational method of self-defense is to hit the other fellow before he can get his fists doubled." In another place, he described a hope for international organizations that sounded like the future League of Nations, United Nations, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Hart speculated on three possible outcomes of the war: General destruction of Europe, with no real victor; an allied victory over Germany and Austria; or a victory by Germany and Austria. His description of an allied victory over Germany and Austria is a good general prediction of what actually happened, with many changes to the map of Europe.
The book ends with an amazing statement of foresight that describes the rise of Adolph Hitler; World War II; and the war on terror in the 21st century:
Mankind can never be free from two dangers: the first is the possible rise of a barbaric power which recognizes no law, like the hordes led by Attila and Tamerlane; the second is the danger from some highly civilized power which may suddenly adopt the barbarians' method of ruthless warfare.A review of The War in Europe in The Indianapolis News on November 7, 1914 described it as "an exceedingly valuable contribution to the collection of war literature, remarkable mainly for its unbiased information."
No human kindness, no treaties, can prevent those dangers; and unless Europe can find some way of creating a public force which shall in no country be sufficient to destroy a neighbor and yet for all countries shall be strong enough to provide against the ungovernable forces of the world, the greatest war of history will after a few years be followed by a greater one.
The War in Europe was published around October 24, 1914, when an advertisement in The Chicago Daily Tribune stated that the book was "Just Published." Front page headlines in that day's Daily Tribune included:
- FRENCH RETAKE ALTKIRCH WITH BAYONET / GERMANS OPEN ATTACK FROM YSER TO MEUSE / Allies Call River to River Move Failure, but Admit Reverses / TEUTONS ADD NEW MEN
- A Homeless Belgian Refugee. (photograph) / This old woman, alone on a bench at Ostend water front, her home destroyed, her family lost, symbolizes Belgium's devastation and woe.
- SPIES, IN SQUADS, SLAIN BY FRENCH / Women and Girls, Lined Up with Men Suspects, Go to Their Death Bravely.
Online versions:
Newspaper information from Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/)
Very nicely written Bob..
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