38 “a great political blunder”: Marder, Scapa Flow, I, 430
39 “To me it seems quite obvious”: Lichnowsky, 189
40 “If Germany succeeds”: ibid., 330
41 “the German fleet was the only obstacle”: ibid., 336
42 “thoroughly pleasant and genial”: ibid.
43 “It was the feeling of insufficient strength”: Spender, Fifty Years, 383
44 “What a triumph for Tirpitz!”: Woodward, 418
45 “This policy of secrecy”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 180
46 “would be greeted with pleasure”: Lamar Cecil, Ballin, 199
47 “the finest ship afloat”: Legge, 334
48 “Be on your guard”: Hase, 20
49 “We overhauled the Meteor”: Müller, 2
50 “Pleasant journey”... “Friends in past”: Hase, 39
Chapter 45
The Coming of Armageddon: Berlin
1 “The causes which might lead”: The Times, March 18, 1914
2 “the vials of wrath”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 11
3 “I shall not live”: Gooch, History of Modern Europe, 557
4 “Austria finds herself”: ibid., 516
5 “a dangerous little viper”: Mansergh, 132
6 “at the last moment”: Albertini, I, 562
7 “left in the lurch”: Spender, Fifty Years, 362
8 “I constantly wonder”: ibid., 399
9 “Our own vital interests”: Jarausch, 156
10 “world historic process”: Spender, Fifty Years, 363
11 “The Slavs were born to serve”: ibid.
12 “If His Majesty Francis Joseph”: ibid., 364
13 “His Majesty ostentatiously used”: ibid., 365
14 The account of the Moltke-Conrad conversation is taken from Albertini, I, 561–62
15 “One comes here for a visit”: Fay, II, 125
16 “That’s the wrong way!”: ibid., 126
17 “Sophie! Sophie! Don’t die!”: ibid.; dispatch sent to the Foreign Office by Sir Maurice de Bunsen, British Ambassador in Vienna: BD, XI, 15–16
18 “kill an enemy of the South Slavs”: Fay, II, 132
19 “an energetic man”: ibid.
20 “No crime has ever aroused”: Schmitt, 397
21 “Terrible shock”: Rose, 167
22 “For me, it is a great worry less”: Crankshaw, The Fall of the House of Hapsburg, 391
23 “The Monarchy with unflinching hand”: Mansergh, 219
24 “does not feel certain of Germany”: Geiss, 59
25 “The crime against my nephew”: Gooch, History of Modern Europe, 533, and Kautsky
26 “serious European complication”: Geiss, 76
27 “rely on Germany’s full support”: ibid.
28 “opinion that this action”: ibid., 77
29 “if we had really recognized”: ibid.
30 “Russia’s attitude”: ibid.
31 “Russia is in no way prepared”: ibid.
32 “The views of the Kaiser”: Bethmann-Hollweg, 119
33 “The sooner the Austrians”: Geiss, 71
34 “scarcely let it come to war”: Kautsky, No. 49
35 “was ready for all eventualities”: Geiss, 71
36 “Certainly, Your Majesty”: Bülow, III, 175
37 “he did not believe”: Geiss, 72
38 “I ascertained”: ibid., 79
39 “The Emperor Franz Joseph may rest assured”: ibid., 74
40 “All present except”: ibid., 86
41 “principally to impress”: ibid., 108
42 “the proposed action against Serbia”: ibid., 95
43 “Germany would consider”: ibid., 102
44 “The Imperial administration”: ibid., 91
45 “It would be a good thing”: ibid., 90
46 “The Note is being composed”: Kautsky, 113
47 “assured me he knew nothing”: Geiss, 154
48 “spoke in the most peaceable manner”: ibid., 131
49 “everything would depend”: ibid., 138
50 “they are moderate and made reconcilable”: ibid., 170
51 “We should consider it unwise”: ibid., 117
52 “the murder of Sarajevo”: ibid., 143
53 “propaganda against Austria-Hungary”: ibid., 145
54 “Russia will never accept it”: Gooch, History of Modern Europe, 536
55 “the most formidable document”: BD, XI, 73
56 “You are setting fire”: Geiss, 174
57 “mistaken idea”: ibid., 199
58 “Here every delay”: ibid., 201
59 “very earnestly”: ibid., 213
60 “give a favorable reply”: BD, XI, 82
61 “a lesson”: Geiss, 242
62 “would only be unable to comply”: ibid., 167
63 “since in vital matters”: Gooch, History of Modern Europe, 537
64 “action had been forced”: Schmitt, 416
65 “There was nothing to prove”: Gooch, History of Modern Europe, 535
66 “We cannot afford to alarm”: Geiss, 121
67 “While I was on my summer vacation”: William II, My Memoirs, 241
68 “How did it all happen?”: Bülow, III, 184
69 “No, you’ve cooked this broth”: ibid.
70 “A brilliant performance”: Geiss, 222
71 “avoid very carefully”: ibid., 260
72 “was ready to go to the limit”: ibid., 241
73 “there must be a way”: ibid., 242
74 “Am glad you are back”: ibid., 260
75 “A confession of his own weakness”: ibid., 261
76 “unscrupulous agitation”... “will doubtless agree”: ibid.
77 “transformed”: ibid., 279
78 “the whole weight of the decision”: ibid., 304
79 “Russia must ruthlessly”: Jarausch, 169
80 “if war breaks out”: Geiss, 289
81 “The British Government could stand aside”: ibid.
82 “There is immense commotion”: Jarausch, 167
83 “England will be against us”: Geiss, 291–92
84 “We, of course, are ready to fulfill”: ibid., 293
85 “If Vienna declines”: ibid., 305
86 “the restriction of Austrian military operations”: ibid., 308
87 “We had a very doubtful support”: ibid., 320
88 “Great Britain would never allow”: BD, XI, 185
89 “astounding”: ibid., 186
90 “dishonorable”... “a disgrace”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 317
91 “He regretted this”: BD, XI, 195
92 “a purely private quarrel”... “to burn out with a glowing iron”: Geiss, 282
93 “Russia has placed herself”: ibid.
94 “violate the deep-rooted feelings”: ibid., 284
95 “General mobilization”: ibid., 271
96 “make us a distinct declaration”: Kautsky, 404
97 “The curses of the nations”: Sazonov, 213; Paleologue, I, 48
98 “If France offers me neutrality”: Kautsky, No. 575, 451
99 “Now we can go to war”: Tuchman, Guns of August, 78
100 “Your Majesty, it cannot be done”: ibid., 79
101 “Your uncle would have given me”: ibid., 80
102 “wounded me deeply”: ibid.
103 “burst into tears”: ibid., 81
104 “A positive proposal by England”: ibid.
105 “Now you can do what you like”: ibid.
106 “This was my first experience”: ibid.
107 “France would act”: Kautsky, 448
108 “When the French Cabinet”: Bethmann-Hollweg, 145
109 “the letter nor the spirit”: Geiss, 344
110 “does not seek any territorial acquisition”: ibid., 248
111 “There was no fear”: ibid., 341
112 “in the most friendly manner”: ibid., 342
Chapter 46
The Coming of Armageddon: London
1 “had been reading”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 193
2 “the gravest event for many years”: Spender, Asquith, II, 80
3 “We are within measurable”: Asquith, Memories, II, 8
4 “substantial economy”: Woodward, Appendix V, 478
5 “I cannot help thinking”: ibid., 479
6 “the merits of the dispute”: Asquith, Genesis, 187
7 “simply and solely”: ibid.
8 “saw no reason”: Geiss, 105
9 “The German Government believes”: ibid., 110
10 “England will not prevent”: ibid., 130
11 “brusque, sudden, and peremptory”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 307
12 “the most formidable document”: BD, XI, 73
13 “give a favorable reply”: ibid., 82
14 “If our respective governments”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 304
15 “I see in it”: Geiss, 206
16 “Ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs”: BD, XI, 101
17 “Sir E. Grey”: Geiss, 238–41
18 “in the most decided way”: ibid., 236
19 “would practically amount”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 309
20 “Serbia has capitulated”: Asquith, Memories, II, 8
21 “The German General Staff”: Haldane, Autobiography, 274
22 “It must be obvious”: Asquith, Genesis, 188
23 “nothing but a miracle”: Jenkins, 325
24 “at this stage”: Spender, Asquith, 81
25 “will be one of policy”: ibid.
26 Lichnowsky’s July 29 telegram 86 with the Kaiser’s marginalia is taken from Geiss, 288–90
27 “He then proceeded to make”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 315
28 “When the war was over”: ibid.
29 “The document made it clear”: ibid., 316
30 “His Majesty’s Government cannot”: ibid., 317
31 “as he knew France”: Geiss, 314
32 “full and active readiness”: ibid., 225
33 “joint steps”: ibid., 313
34 “He is convinced”: ibid., 317
35 “how difficult it would be”: ibid.
36 “British participation”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 215
37 “It was clear to me”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 324
38 “felt that to stand aside”: ibid., 326
39 “The argument”: BD, XI, 225
40 “Germany was so immensely strong”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 302
41 “There was never any chance”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 205
42 “the very existence of his country”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 328
43 “go one inch beyond”: ibid., 329
44 “The Cabinet thought”: Geiss, 327
45 “would await the invasion”: ibid., 328
46 “would find herself in a state”: ibid.
47 “the question of Belgian neutrality”: ibid., 327
48 “About the same time”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 327
49 “he rather doubted”: BD, XI, 234
50 “the issues of peace and war”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, I, 312
51 “there were forces”: ibid.
52 “the whole of Germany”: Tuchman, Guns of August, 19
53 “We must put aside”: ibid., 26
54 “The more English the better”: ibid., 121
55 “Military opinion”: Bethmann-Hollweg, 147
56 “reliable information”: Geiss, 231
57 “with the deepest regret”: ibid.
58 “some suggestions”: ibid.
59 “The Belgian Government must be informed”: ibid., 354
60 “Germany’s procedure in Belgium”: ibid., 357
61 “uncoded”: Kautsky, 567
62 “Winston very bellicose”: Asquith, Memories, II, 11
63 “it was at our request”: BD, XI, 252
64 “simple traverse”: Spender, Asquith, II, 90
65 “this was a war intrigued”: Lloyd George, I, 68
66 “I saw Money”: ibid.
67 “aghast at the bare idea”: Spender, Asquith, II, 102
68 “are the greatest ninnies”: Margot Asquith, IV, 20
69 “We have made no pledges”: LVS, 114
70 “My dear Nicky”: ibid., 140
71 “would gladly”: BD, XI, 276
72 “I walked across the Horse Guards Parade”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 217
73 “we could not stand”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, II, 1
74 “He was very emotional”: Asquith, Memories, II, 11
75 “that the country would... be unable”: Haldane, Autobiography, 274
76 “Grey asked me”: ibid., 275
77 “Their breath was somewhat”: ibid.
78 “time must be made”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, II, 13
79 “for no man had worked harder”... “go through one small corner”: ibid.
80 The description of the scene in the House of Commons and the quotes from Sir Edward Grey’s speech are taken from August 4, 1914, editions of The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Chronicle, and The Daily News.
81 “For the most part conversational”: Asquith, Memories, II, 25
82 “Grey’s speech was very wonderful”: Trevelyan, 265
83 “sacrifice the honor”... “firmly resolved”: Fay, II, 541
84 “What happens now?”: Winston Churchill, World Crisis, I, 220
85 “No, of course everybody knows”: Asquith, Genesis, 213
86 “Thus, the efforts of a lifetime”: ibid.
87 “The lamps are going out”: Grey, Twenty-Five Years, II, 20
88 “bombs on the railway”: Schmitt, 461
89 “a French physician”: Kautsky, 508
90 “Interesting”... “We got the news”: LVS, 150
91 “very calmly”... “We got through all the business”: ibid.
92 “This whole thing”: ibid.
93 “So it is all up”: Margot Asquith, IV, 69
Acknowledgments
In writing this book, I worked in and drew material from the Yale University libraries, the Tulane University Library, the Public Record Office, the British Ministry of Defence Library, and the British Library Newspaper Library. I am grateful to the staffs of these libraries for their efficiency and courtesy.
For their help during the early stages of the book, I am indebted to Robert Gottlieb and Katherine Hourigan. At Random House, I have been fortunate in having available the wise experience and stimulating encouragement of a great editor, Robert Loomis, Harry Evans, Joni Evans, and Carsten Fries also have made my path easier.
From the moment I first described this book to David Godwin of Jonathan Cape, he has reacted with heartwarming enthusiasm. I appreciate also the assistance of his colleagues, Georgina Capel and Jill Black.
In today’s world, as giant corporations swallow publishing houses and accountants replace editors in making publishing decisions, authors need skillful, dedicated literary agents. I have Deborah Karl, Andrew Wylie, Gillon Aitken, and Sally Riley, all of whom care deeply about writers and writing. I also have been aided by the timely efforts of Bridget Love and Anna Benn.
Janet Byrne and Judith Karl made up for my inability to master word processing by typing the manuscript. Carmel Wilson provided new photographs at short notice. The Hulton Picture Company in London offered me thousands of tempting picture choices and efficiently provided the ones I selected.
Through the years this book has been in progress, many friends have helped by word of deed. I thank especially Lorna Massie, the late Natalie May, Mary Keeley, Caecelia Davis, Robert and Ina Caro, Thomas Pynchon and Melanie Jackson, Caroline Michel and Matthew Evaqns, Ken Burrows, Gilbert Merritt, Herbert and May Shayne, David Kahn, and Robert Fagles.
My children, Elizabeth Massie, Bob Massie, and Susanna Thomas, have
given me support and love; no less has come from Dana Robert and Jim Thomas.
Deborah Karl, daughter of a literary family, has read every line of this book and suggested changes which invariably turned out to be improvements. For her intelligence, her perception, and her devotion, I will always be grateful.
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