Why/how did the Great War of 1914 start?

[August1991]

Now you know. It is starting as we post.

The Balkan Wars. Ukraine.

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Then, it will be a short war.

[August1991]

In the summer of 1914, civilised Europe collapsed .- the elite was clueless, got it wrong.

Like Covid, the elite said it would be a short war - we'll be home by Christmas.

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In fact, ordinary people suffered for 30 years, three decades.

[Legato]

That always happens when both side have bang sticks.

[Rebound]

12 hours ago, August1991 said:

Now you know. It is starting as we post.

The Balkan Wars. Ukraine.

====

Then, it will be a short war.

What are you talking about? 
WW I started in Sarajevo, which is in Bosnia. 
There are several countries in-between Bosnia and Ukraine.  

Edited September 21, 2024 by Rebound

[August1991]

On 9/21/2024 at 10:11 AM, Rebound said:

What are you talking about? 
WW I started in Sarajevo, which is in Bosnia. 
There are several countries in-between Bosnia and Ukraine.  
...

Sarajevo, Lvov, Lemberg, Ukraine, Taiwan. Whatever.....

I think Bismarck famously said that the next war will start with a skirmish in the Balkans.

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I reckon that that World War I started because of a break down in understanding between major powers. And these 1912 crowns all thought the war would be short. (The modern term is escalate.)

In 1989, we defeated Communism. America is now one power among several.

 

[Rebound]

8 hours ago, August1991 said:

Sarajevo, Lvov, Lemberg, Ukraine, Taiwan. Whatever.....

I think Bismarck famously said that the next war will start with a skirmish in the Balkans.

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I reckon that that World War I started because of a break down in understanding between major powers. And these 1912 crowns all thought the war would be short. (The modern term is escalate.)

In 1989, we defeated Communism. America is now one power among several.

 

Well, the question is this: If the NATO nations don’t help Ukraine, can we expect Putin will stop invading foreign countries, or will he become emboldened to invade more?

[August1991]

On 9/23/2024 at 7:43 AM, Rebound said:

Well, the question is this: If the NATO nations don’t help Ukraine, can we expect Putin will stop invading foreign countries, or will he become emboldened to invade more?

Rebound,

This is 1930s thinking. You think that we must defeat this Napoleon/Hitler.

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In these 2020s, we are in a 1912 world.

 

[Rebound]

6 minutes ago, August1991 said:

Rebound,

This is 1930s thinking. You think that we must defeat this Napoleon/Hitler.

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In these 2020s, we are in a 1912 world.

 

I do not think that. I do think that we need to stop Putin’s westward expansion, but I do not think we should invade Russia. 

[August1991]

20 minutes ago, Rebound said:

I do not think that. I do think that we need to stop Putin’s westward expansion, but I do not think we should invade Russia. 

You have a zero-sum thinking.

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Nixon/Kissinger had a different view.

[August1991]

Imagine if we could have stopped the world in summer 1914

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You Americans always wonder....

Edited September 28, 2024 by August1991

[August1991]

In these 2020s, we are in a world like 1910 or so.

Like the late 19th century, we are on a cusp of major discoveries.

But I fear we are also a few years before catastrophe - like the late 18th.

[Dougie93]

On 9/20/2024 at 9:18 PM, August1991 said:

Now you know. It is starting as we post.

The Balkan Wars. Ukraine.

====

Then, it will be a short war.

Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire at the time

it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire which incited the war by declaring war upon Serbia

although that was only Franco-Prussian War II at said juncture

it did not become a World War,

until Britain entered the war in the name of Belgian Neutrality

so technically, Belgium was the cause, not the Balkans

 

[August1991]

2 hours ago, Dougie93 said:

Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire at the time

it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire which incited the war by declaring war upon Serbia.

'''

although that was only Franco-Prussian War II at said juncture

it did not become a World War

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Great War

At the time, 1910s, everyone thought that it would be a short war.

Like now.

[August1991]

We Canadians get along.

[SpankyMcFarland]

The European empires were no longer fit for purpose. That’s the short answer. 

[August1991]

On 12/18/2024 at 12:33 PM, SpankyMcFarland said:

The European empires were no longer fit for purpose. That’s the short answer. 

I strongly disagree.

Europe was a wonderful place in Summer 1914.

Like now = 2025 or so. 

[August1991]

I frankly believe that it was possible to avoid the cataclysm, horrific diplomatic disaster of Summer 1914.

I'm not sure if it was possible to avoid the US Civil War..

[August1991]

On 10/4/2024 at 4:56 PM, Dougie93 said:

Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire at the time

it was the Austro-Hungarian Empire which incited the war by declaring war upon Serbia.

...

 

By curiousity,I have travelled to western so-called Ukraine, Rumania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland - remnants of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The East-Prussia parts of Poland.

These places, cities are wonderful. The Germans did it right.

Wherever the Russians or Turks were, it's crap.

 

 

[August1991]

While in western Ukraine once, I asked a woman about her city's history.

Her answer?

Hungarians never get along with anyone.

 

[Army Guy]

puff, puff, pass...august roll another fatty, i'm not high enough for this conversation.

[August1991]

On 2/7/2025 at 2:20 PM, Army Guy said:

puff, puff, pass...august roll another fatty, i'm not high enough for this conversation.

Sun Yat Sen. 1911.

The world was on a cusp of change.

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But in 1914, the elite f+ed everything. For the next 30 years.

[August1991]

Nowadays, many experts/people are saying that this is the 1930s: we are facing a Hitler.

I disagree.

At present. we are living in times similar to the 1910s.

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We must avoid the cataclysm of August 1914. Let's get along.