Kali 1 Keawe Kali Professor H.

Miller History 1700 16 October 2013 Was Germany Really To Blame For Both World Wars? For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. A simple proverbial rhyme that started back as late as the 14th century and is used to remind children to think of the possible consequences that come from their actions. At times it has often been used to illustrate a chain of events that can stem from a single thoughtless action and in turn resulting into larger consequences; the rhyme is a good way to illustrate the butterfly effect, or chaos theory. It is this rhyme that speaks how true the world follows itself in a constant stream of dire consequences and how many follow the rules of grudges without looking at their consequences. As such, grudges are the leading one cause for wars and both World Wars are examples. In the final conclusion of World War I, the Allied Powers came together and forced Germany into a treaty that would slowly drain the life out of the beaten nation, or that was what they intended with the Treaty of Versailles, and which the Germans rightfully name it the Versailles Diktat. It was not a treaty but a highly demanding punishment that affected only one side of the signing parties. The Allied Powers were still holding onto a grudge against Germany, even when they werent the cause of the war in the first place. No, it was the Allied Powers, or rather, Serbia that started the whole trouble. Serbia saw Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to Austrias throne, as a potential threat to Serbian independence when he wanted to reform the government in order to make the dual monarch of Austria

Kali 2 and Hungary into a tripartite, which would allow Serbia to be represented, and maybe, if this had passed and they went through peaceful talks and options. But many of the Slavs looked at this as a threat and Gavrilo Princip, associated with the Serbian ultra-nationalist, the Black Hand, assassinated Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. This one negative choice had caused a giant ripple of destruction that would result in a vengeful declaration of war by the Austria-Hungary, which in turn pulled Germany into the fight because of the Dual Alliance of 1879, which promised aid to each other in the event of an attack by Russia or if Russia aided another power at war with either Germany or Austria-Hungary. It was most likely then that Germany decided to attack first than wait to be attacked since it was common knowledge that Russia would back their traditional ally of Serbia, and so, Germany declared war on Russia. It was then that Russia and the alliances linked by the Triple Entente (1907), France and Britain, would join the war and they did. It is quite amazing how one single assassination could cause the whole world to fall into chaos but then for the worlds powerful nations to also blame a single nation, Germany, as the sole perpetrator because they were the ones to put up a decent fight in a losing battle of four to ten. In the end, Germany was tricked into thinking that the Treaty of Versailles would incorporate Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points, and they were forced to sign a treaty that would cripple the country and the Allied Powers would take all they could get without needing to give anything in exchange, plus, it would put all the blame on Germany as stated in Article 213 of the treaty. Only the creation of the League of Nations was taken from Wilsons Fourteen Points. So, on the 28th of June 1919, Germany became a controlled outside-resource to the Allied Powers. In such a desperate situation, what more could Germany do than look to a radical party that presented hope to a dying country, and it was in this nations dire need that they looked to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. Hitler gave Germany the chance for survival and had charisma that could grab the country out of the Allies choke-hold. He built the nation stronger and with people in reach of advanced technology even with their limited resources and strained military; despite the watchful and lazy eye of the Allied

Kali 3 Powers. Interestingly enough, France was lazy in responding to Germans growing power despite their demands in wanting to strip more from Germany, even after the Versailles Diktat took Alsace-Lorraine, demilitarized Rhineland, caused the loss of overseas colonies, loss of the industrial area of Saar, West Prussia was taken, and more that would total the amount to 28,000 square miles and six million people lost from Germany; even after all of this, the Allied Powers turned a blind eye to the ever-growing grudge they created in Germany. Luckily, whether it be the UKs guilt eating away at them for causing such problems to Germany or the continued lack of will by the Allies to prevent it, Hitler was able to annex Austria, which voted 99% in favor of being absorbed into Germany, even if this consolidation blatantly violates the Versailles Diktat. It was on September 1, 1939, when the world declared Germanys action toward Poland as an invasion, but on the other hand, Adolf Hitler stated to his people that Poland was the first to strike and in turn Germany struck back, which was in retaliation and not for the purpose of conquest, and therefore may not be the nation hell bent on world domination as we were taught in school, if anything they were preparing to protect themselves should the need arrive and it would seem, the need had arrive. It was also on September 1st of 1939 that Fhrer Adolf Hitler gave a speech at the German Parliament, the Reichstag. He starts with, For months we have been suffering under the torture of a problem which the Versailles Diktat created - a problem which has deteriorated until it becomes intolerable for us. It is true with the lack of the industrial city of Saar and major resources from the reparations to France and Great Britain, Germanys economy deteriorated. In a brief breakdown of the German economy in the 1920s, Daniel Castillo of University of California Santa Barbara writes that At first Germany tried to recover from the war by way of social spendingall used to battle the increasing unemployment rate. Social spending was rising at an unbelievable rate. In 1913 the government was pending approximately 20.5 per resident; by 1925 it had risen to almost 65 marks per resident and finally in 1929 it reached over one hundred marks per resident. The elevating amounts of money which were

Kali 4 used for social spending combined with plummeting revenues caused continuing deficits. Eventually, the municipal finance collapsed in 1930. Ordinary budgets were the reason for the initial collapserevenue from income tax began to fallGermany printed exaggerated amounts of money because of the reparation payments they could not afford. Like the United States who used the illegal immigrants from Mexico as scapegoats for their economic hardships (The Great Depression), in Germany, Hitler used the Jewish people as a scapegoat for all of Germanys problems and with someone to blame, Hitler used this idea to help launch him into power as well as a second plan for a swift economic recovery. It is also with the continuation of his speech that Hitler mentions his proposals for revisions to the Versailles Diktat and how it is impossible to demand that an impossible position should be cleared up by peaceful revision and at the same time constantly reject a peaceful revision. It is also impossible to say the he who undertakes to carry out these revisions for himself transgresses a law, since the Versailles Diktat is not law to us. A signature was forced out of us with pistols at our head and with the threat of hunger for millions of people. And then this document, with our signature, obtained by force, was proclaimed as a solemn law. From this it is clear that the way the Allies handled the situation was poor and in order to put anything into motion, Germany would have to do something first since any sort of discussion between the Allies and Hitler wasnt getting anywhere. Especially when the issue between Poland and Germany took place. Hitler states he has continued with peaceful discussions with Polish statesmen but they answered with mobilization and an increased terror and pressure against our German compatriots with a slow strangling of the Free City of Danzig economically, politically, and in recent weeks by military and transport means. What he says is true. In 1925, the Council of the League of Nations allowed Poland to keep only 88 soldiers on Westerplatte, but secretly the garrison upped its forces to 176 men and six officers after the new chancellor of Germany was named and wanted to test Fhrer Adolf Hitlers reaction, thus breaking international law in the process. Of course this type of move created much fear of Polish aggression

Kali 5 produced by this and other disputes (Hargreaves, 2008). Interestingly enough, many state that Germans were the instigators but from the Free City of Danzings point-of-view, who saw themselves as neither German nor Polish, determined that the Polish forces were the ones integrating the problems. They even mention that the World history, as the adage goes, is always written by the Victor, by the Strong and Omnipotent and Another maxim and general Truth makes it clear the world history is ruled by Dogma, and by a great number of other factors. Such factors determine how World history is presented in a variety of forms and of guises and made digestible by use of skillful propaganda tactics. So they chose to give their version of their truth. The day before World War II was declared, they say, Again, as she had done previously, and as several Border conflicts between Poland and Germany had occurred, Poland did set her forces on War-footing, fully mobilized, and speaks openly of her intention to march to the gates of Berlin. Throughout the length and breadth of Poland, Banners flying everywhere making clear of Polands intention, this time around, Poland means business! The next day, at 04:45 hours precisely, the German Cruiser Schleswig-Holstein opens fire onto the Polish Fortress name Westerplatte, inside the Danzing Harbour. Hitlers speech rings true about such incidents when he mentions the oppression of Germans at Danzing: An attempt was made to justify the oppression of the Germans by claiming that they had committed acts of provocation. I do not know in what these provocations on the part of women and children consist, if they themselves are maltreated, in some cases killed. One thing I do know that no great Power can with honour long stand by passively and watch such events. Another important fact were Hitlers proposals for mediation on the part of the British Government: They proposed, not that they themselves should carry on the negotiations, but rather Poland and Germany should come into direct contact and once more pursue negotiations. So, Hitler takes up this proposal and worked for negotiations, the Polish decided procrastination was far better the choice. It is agreeable that a persons patience can only go so far, especially if you are a leader to a nation. As so, the Fhrer informed the British Government: In these circumstances I can no longer find

Kali 6 any willingness on the part of the Polish Government to conduct serious negotiation with us. These proposals for mediation have failed because in the meanwhile there, first of all, came as an answer the sudden Polish general mobilization, followed by more Polish atrocities. These were again repeated last night. Recently in one night there were as many as twenty-one frontier incident: last night there were fourteen, of which three were quite serious. I have, therefore, resolved to speak to Poland in the same language that Poland for months past has used toward us. This attitude on the part of the Reich will not change. This could very well be the reason why the German Cruiser Schleswig-Holstein had opened fire on Westerplatte that very morning of September 1st. Another grudge that had been made and settled when World War II was declared that day and Germany invaded Poland. It is also declared in Hitlers speech that he, and Germany as a whole, have no interests in the Western States. He even declared that the frontier between France and Germany is a final one. I have repeatedly offered friendship and, if necessary, the closest co-operation to Britain, but this cannot be offered from one side onlyGerman has no interest in the West, and our western wall is for all time the frontier of the Reich on the westas long as others do not violate their neutrality we will likewise take every care to respect it. Hitler even made friends with Russia and made a pact with Russian Foreign Commissar, Molotov. It is ironic, though, in Great Britain once war is declared, King George VI gives his famous speech on the 3rd of September 1939. The irony lies with his message: Over and over again we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies. But it has been in vain. We have been forced into a conflict. For we are called, with our allies, to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world. It is the principle which permits a state, in the selfish pursuit of power, to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges; But the real question here is, who is he speaking of? Is he speaking about the Polish not reaching a common ground with Germany and taking advantage of them? Or, is he thinking that

Kali 7 Germany is on the rampage for the hunt of power? Looking back at any history lesson, it would look like King George VI was talking about Adolf Hitler and his Nazi comrades. This speech about gaining more land when Hitler declared two days before that he wasnt interested in gaining land but mostly about ending the fight between Poland and Germany. It is with this coming war that was predicted, that Hitler has chosen and says: I will once more put on that coat that was the most sacred and dear to me. I will not take it off again until victory is secured, or I will not survive the outcome. My whole life has been nothing but one long struggle for my people, for its restoration, and for Germany. There was only one watchword for the struggle: faith in this people. One word I have never learned: that is, surrender. And in conclusion, Germany was never the bad guy in any of the wars. It was a nation that had one of the worst luck to be label as such. The First World War was brought about by Serbia and their radical decision of assassinating Austria-Hungarys heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand, and not because of Germanys sudden lust for power but because of a treaty with Austria-Hungary and their grudge against Serbia. The Second World War was brought about a grudge by the Allied Powers that caused Germany to become desperate, so in their desire to become stronger to protect themselves, Hitler was the man capable to give it them, even if the Jews had to take the blame as scapegoats, but the main cause of the war was because of Polands irrational power-lust to subjugate Danzig.

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Works Cited Castillo, Daniel. "German Economy in the 1920s." German Economy in the 1920s. N.p., Dec. 2003. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. <http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/33d/projects/1920s/Econ20s.htm>. Fuller, Richard. "The Treaty of Versailles - 28th June 1919." GCSE HIstory. N.p., 3 June 2010. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. <http://www.rpfuller.com/gcse/history/2.html>. George VI. "HISTORIC ROYAL SPEECHES AND WRITINGS: GEORGE VI (3 September 1939)." Address. Broadcast, Outbreak of War with Germany, 3 September 1939. Buckingham Palace, London. 3 Sept. 1939. British Monarchy. Web. <http://www.royal.gov.uk>. Hargreaves, Richard. Blitzkrieg Unleashed: The German Invasion of Poland 1939. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008. 31-2. Print. Hitler, Adolf. "Address by Adolf Hitler - September 1, 1939." The Avalon Project. Trans. William C. Fray. Yale Law School, 1997. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. Keyser, Erich. Danzigs Geschichte. Danzig: Kafemann, 1928. Print. Ramonat, Wolfgang. Der Volkerbund Und Die Freie Stadt Danzig 1920-1934. Osnabruck: Biblio-Verlag, 1979. Print.