Doran Cart
Interview Transcript
Senior Curator, National World War I Museum, Missouri, USA
E-mail Interview
Senior Curator, National World War I Museum, Missouri, USA
E-mail Interview
What was civilian reaction immediately following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
"Civilian reaction in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was fairly muted. Assassinations of leaders, while not commonplace, were not unknown in Europe. It was probably higher in Serbia because of the implied Austro-Hungarian possibility of using any pretense to occupy Serbia. That is one reason that the Serbs were always explicit in noting that Gavrilo Princip was a Bosnian Serb. To the general public in many of the European monarchies, political developments did not really affect them unless they were in the military.
'No one has ever managed to show that the Serb government had any connection with the plot [to assassinate Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand]. Indeed, it was easy to guess that an Austrian Archduke would be shot at if he visited Sarajevo on 28 June, Serbia’s national day. The plot was the work of six high-minded national idealists' (A.J.P. Taylor, British historian, 1956).
Mary Ludlum, a young American in Berlin, July 25, 1914: 'We found the streets full of people and handbills being thrown about, something to do with some government decision between Austria and Serbia. We couldn’t find out anymore, except that people seemed to think there might be a war. But the boys said "It’s nothing. There’s always some tin-pot little war brewing over here." So we didn’t bother about it.' Mary Ludlum later served in France in 1918 as an Army Nurse."
Was Russian mobilization the key factor in the escalation of a local conflict into a European war?
"It certainly played a large role, for in 1914 mobilization was tantamount to a declaration of war. Russia was a strong ally of Serbia primarily because of the Slavic heritage. German certainly saw Russia’s mobilization as a threat. 'In this most serious moment I appeal to you to help me. An ignoble war has been declared to a weak country. The indignation in Russia shared fully by me is enormous. I foresee that very soon I shall be overwhelmed by the pressure brought upon me and be forced to take extreme measures which will lead to war. To try and avoid such a calamity as a European war, I beg you in the name of our old friendship to do what you can to stop your allies from going too far. Nicky.' (Czar Nicholas of Russia July 28, 1914 telegram to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.)
"'With regard to the hearty and tender friendship which binds us both from long ago with firm ties, I am exerting my utmost influence to arrive at a satisfactory understanding with you. I confidently hope you will help me in my efforts to smooth over difficulties that may still arise. Your very sincere and devoted friend and cousin. Willy' (Kaiser Wilhelm’s July 28, 1914 reply to the Czar.)"
What were the most important events before 1914 that shaped the political climate of 1914?
"The ten years leading to the outbreak of World War I, 1904—1914, witnessed a series of small and large conflicts between the major European powers over territory in Europe and overseas possessions. They ranged in geographical distance from Manchuria on the Asian Pacific Coast to North Africa to the Balkans. These conflicts only lasted a year or two but provided the world [with] a preview of what 20th century warfare would be like. Imperialist competition and fears of falling behind in the new world economy led to aggressive moves to expand by the European Great Powers and by their new imitator, Japan.
The argument for acquiring territory came from a basic instinctual drive to protect the nation’s self-interests and security not by even-handed, gentlemanly diplomacy but by a calculated decision to expand at a neighbor’s expense. A new balance of power was repeatedly constructed from a successful projection of power.
National borders shifted creating new ones, farther and farther out from the homeland. Territory was acquired overseas as spheres of interest; part of an ever- growing, global projection of power. By 1904, the European powers had established their global dominance with colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
World Colonialism
By the beginning of the 20th century Britain, France and Germany dominated the map of colonial possessions, Italy to a lesser extent. Austria-Hungary, though strategically landlocked, annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 from a crumbling Ottoman Turkish Empire to strengthen its southern border against Serbia; Russia, though giving up its overseas possessions in the 19th century, had simultaneously expanded in Central and East Asia and was committed to protecting its vast homeland.
However, the European powers were not the only players in the game.
Overseas territorial acquisition required the European powers to have large navies to protect their respective merchant ship fleets and transport supplies and military forces to their colonies. From the mid-19th century, the European powers had competed in a naval arms race to develop and deploy bigger, faster, more heavily armed warships. 1913 was a record-setting year in the naval arms race between Germany and Great Britain."
"Civilian reaction in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was fairly muted. Assassinations of leaders, while not commonplace, were not unknown in Europe. It was probably higher in Serbia because of the implied Austro-Hungarian possibility of using any pretense to occupy Serbia. That is one reason that the Serbs were always explicit in noting that Gavrilo Princip was a Bosnian Serb. To the general public in many of the European monarchies, political developments did not really affect them unless they were in the military.
'No one has ever managed to show that the Serb government had any connection with the plot [to assassinate Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand]. Indeed, it was easy to guess that an Austrian Archduke would be shot at if he visited Sarajevo on 28 June, Serbia’s national day. The plot was the work of six high-minded national idealists' (A.J.P. Taylor, British historian, 1956).
Mary Ludlum, a young American in Berlin, July 25, 1914: 'We found the streets full of people and handbills being thrown about, something to do with some government decision between Austria and Serbia. We couldn’t find out anymore, except that people seemed to think there might be a war. But the boys said "It’s nothing. There’s always some tin-pot little war brewing over here." So we didn’t bother about it.' Mary Ludlum later served in France in 1918 as an Army Nurse."
Was Russian mobilization the key factor in the escalation of a local conflict into a European war?
"It certainly played a large role, for in 1914 mobilization was tantamount to a declaration of war. Russia was a strong ally of Serbia primarily because of the Slavic heritage. German certainly saw Russia’s mobilization as a threat. 'In this most serious moment I appeal to you to help me. An ignoble war has been declared to a weak country. The indignation in Russia shared fully by me is enormous. I foresee that very soon I shall be overwhelmed by the pressure brought upon me and be forced to take extreme measures which will lead to war. To try and avoid such a calamity as a European war, I beg you in the name of our old friendship to do what you can to stop your allies from going too far. Nicky.' (Czar Nicholas of Russia July 28, 1914 telegram to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.)
"'With regard to the hearty and tender friendship which binds us both from long ago with firm ties, I am exerting my utmost influence to arrive at a satisfactory understanding with you. I confidently hope you will help me in my efforts to smooth over difficulties that may still arise. Your very sincere and devoted friend and cousin. Willy' (Kaiser Wilhelm’s July 28, 1914 reply to the Czar.)"
What were the most important events before 1914 that shaped the political climate of 1914?
"The ten years leading to the outbreak of World War I, 1904—1914, witnessed a series of small and large conflicts between the major European powers over territory in Europe and overseas possessions. They ranged in geographical distance from Manchuria on the Asian Pacific Coast to North Africa to the Balkans. These conflicts only lasted a year or two but provided the world [with] a preview of what 20th century warfare would be like. Imperialist competition and fears of falling behind in the new world economy led to aggressive moves to expand by the European Great Powers and by their new imitator, Japan.
The argument for acquiring territory came from a basic instinctual drive to protect the nation’s self-interests and security not by even-handed, gentlemanly diplomacy but by a calculated decision to expand at a neighbor’s expense. A new balance of power was repeatedly constructed from a successful projection of power.
National borders shifted creating new ones, farther and farther out from the homeland. Territory was acquired overseas as spheres of interest; part of an ever- growing, global projection of power. By 1904, the European powers had established their global dominance with colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
World Colonialism
By the beginning of the 20th century Britain, France and Germany dominated the map of colonial possessions, Italy to a lesser extent. Austria-Hungary, though strategically landlocked, annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 from a crumbling Ottoman Turkish Empire to strengthen its southern border against Serbia; Russia, though giving up its overseas possessions in the 19th century, had simultaneously expanded in Central and East Asia and was committed to protecting its vast homeland.
However, the European powers were not the only players in the game.
Overseas territorial acquisition required the European powers to have large navies to protect their respective merchant ship fleets and transport supplies and military forces to their colonies. From the mid-19th century, the European powers had competed in a naval arms race to develop and deploy bigger, faster, more heavily armed warships. 1913 was a record-setting year in the naval arms race between Germany and Great Britain."