CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| Introduction | [v] |
| Foreword | [xv] |
| The Witnesses | [xxvii] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| The Supreme Court of Civilization | |
Existence of the Court—The conscience of mankind—Thephilosophy of Bernhardi—The recrudescence of Machiavelliism—Treitschkeand Bernhardi’s doctrine—Recent utterances of the Kaiser, Crown Prince,and representative officials—George Bernard Shaw’s defense—Concreteillustration of Bernhardiism | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| The Record in the Case | |
The issues stated—Proximate and underlying causes—A war ofdiplomats—The masses not parties to the war—The officialdefenses—The English White Paper—The German WhitePaper—The Russian Orange Paper—The Belgian GrayPaper—Austria and Italy still silent—Obligation of thesenations to disclose facts | [18] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The Suppressed Evidence | |
No apparent suppression by England, Russia, and Belgium—Suppressionby Germany of vital documents—Suppression by Austria of entirerecord—Significance of such suppression | [27] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Germany’s Responsibility for the Austrian Ultimatum | |
Silence which preceded ultimatum—Europe’s ignorance of impendingdevelopments—Duty to civilization—Germany’s prior knowledge ofultimatum—Its disclaimer to Russia, France, and England of anyresponsibility—Contradictory admission in its official defense—Furtherconfirmation in Germany’s simultaneous threat to the Powers—Furtherconfirmation in its confidential notice to States of Germany to preparefor eventualities | [31] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| The Austrian Ultimatum to Servia | |
Extreme brutality of ultimatum—Limited time given toServia and Europe for consideration—Ultimatum andServia’s reply contrasted in parallel columns—Relativesize of two nations—Germany’s intimations to Servia—Brutalityof ultimatum shown by analogy—Disclaimerof intention to take territory valueless | [47] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| The Peace Parleys | |
Possibility of peace not embarrassed by popular clamor—Difficultiesof peaceful solution not insuperable—Policy of Germany andAustria—Russia’s and England’s request for time—Germany’srefusal to coöperate—Germany’s and Austria’s excuses for refusalto give extension of time—Berchtold’s absence from Vienna—Austria’salleged disclaimer of territorial expansion—Sazonof’s conferencewith English and French Ambassadors—Their conciliatory counselto Servia—Servia’s pacific reply to ultimatum—Austria,without considering Servian reply, declares war—Englandproposes suspension of hostilities for peace parleys—Germanyrefuses—Its specious reasons—Germany’s untenable position as tolocalization of conflict—England’s proposal for a conference—Germany’srefusal—Austria declines all intervention, refusing to discussServian note—Germany supports her with a quibble as to name ofconference—Russia proposes further discussion on basis of Serviannote—Russia then again proposes European conference—Austriaand Germany decline | [61] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| The Attitude of France | |
The French Yellow Book—Its editors and contents—M.Jules Cambon—The weakness of German diplomacy—Cambon’sexperience and merits—Interview between the German Kaiserand the King of Belgium—The Kaiser’s change of attitude—Theinfluence of the Moroccan crisis—The condition of the Germanpeople in 1913—The suppression of news in Austria—Attitudeof the military party—Servia’s warning to Austria—Germany’sknowledge of the Austrian ultimatum before its issuance—Italy’signorance of the Austrian ultimatum—Significance of thefact—Germany’s reasons for concealing its intentions fromItaly—The policy of secrecy—Prince Lichnowsky’s anxiety—Cambon’sinterview with von Jagow—The methods of deception—Sazonof’sfrank offer—Germany’s attempt to influence France—Cambon’sdramatic interview with von Jagow—His plea “In the name ofhumanity”—The different attitudes of the two groups of powers | [102] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| The Intervention of the Kaiser | |
The Kaiser’s return to Berlin—His inconsistent record andcomplex personality—German Foreign Office deprecateshis return—Its many blunders—The Kaiser takesthe helm—He telegraphs the Czar—The Czar’s reply—TheKaiser’s second telegram—His untenable position—TheCzar’s explanation of military preparations andpledge that no provocative action would be taken byRussia—King George’s telegram proposing temporaryoccupation by Austria of Belgrade pending further peacenegotiations—The Kaiser’s reply—The Kaiser’s telegramto the Czar demanding Russian discontinuance ofmilitary preparations—His insistence upon unilateralconditions—Germany’s preparations for war—Its offerto England to insure its neutrality—England’s reply—Russia’soffer to stop conditionally military preparations—Englandrequests Germany to suggest any peace formula—Austria expresseswillingness to discuss with Russia Servian note—Motives ofAustria for this reversal of policy—The Kaiser sends ultimatumto Russia—The Czar’s last appeal—The Kaiser’s reply—Russia’sinability to recall mobilization—England’s last efforts forpeace—Germany declares war—The Czar’s telegram to King George | [138] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| The Case of Belgium | |
The verdict of history not affected by result of war—Belgiumat outbreak of war—The Treaty of 1839—Its affirmation byBismarck—France’s action in 1871—Reaffirmation by Germany ofBelgian neutrality in 1911-1914—The Hague Peace Conference of1907—England asks Germany’s and France’s intentions withrespect to Belgium’s neutrality—France replies—Germany’srefusal to reply—Germany’s second offer to England—Germany’sultimatum to Belgium—Belgium’s reply—France’s offer of fivearmy corps—Belgium refuses aid—Germany’s declaration of waragainst Belgium—The German Chancellor’s explanation in theReichstag—The Belgian King appeals to England—England’s ultimatumto Germany—The “scrap of paper” incident—England declares waragainst Germany—The apologies for Germany’s action discussed—Belgium’srights independent of Treaty of 1839 or The Hague Convention—Germany’sallegation that France had violated Belgium’s neutrality anafterthought—Von Mach’s plea for the suspension of judgment—TheBrussels documents discussed—The negotiations between England andBelgium—The German Chancellor’s belated explanation of the “scrapof paper” phrase—Invasion of Belgium a recrudescence ofMachiavelliism—The great blunder of Germany’s diplomats and soldiers | [196] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| The Judgment of the World | |
The completeness of the evidence—The force of public opinion—The | [246] |
| Epilogue | [252] |