In this prewar photo that perfectly captures the Kaiser's militaristic enthusiasms, he is inspecting a Guards detachment, probably at Potsdam. As Wilhelm marches past, each of the soldier's heads snaps forward from the "eyes-right" position. Like their British equivalents, the "Old Contemptibles," most of these men were probably killed or wounded in the coming war.
In November 1908, British foreign minister Sir Edward Grey perfectly captured in words this same disposition of Germany's ruler and foresaw its consequences:
[The Kaiser] is like a battleship with steam up and screws going, but with no rudder, and he will run into something some day and cause a catastrophe. He has the strongest army in the world and the Germans don't like being laughed at and are looking for somebody on whom to vent their temper and use their strength...Now it is 38 years since Germany had her last war, and she is very strong and very restless, like a person whose boots are too small for him. I don't think there will be war at present, but it will be difficult to keep the peace of Europe for another five years.
Said the Grey who then took Britain into war.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds almost like a reproach ...? Surely not?
DeleteIt was not Grey who took Britain to war by a long shot. He was ardently trying to orchestrate a peaceful solution even up until the eleventh hour. What he did was hour a treaty with the King's support and that of Asquith and Parliament. How can one man in a parliamentary constitutional government be held to account - he was not a dictator.
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