Page - 136 - in THE FIRST WORLD WAR - and the End of the Habsburg Monarchy, 1914 – 1918

136 Unleashing the War Alsace-Lorraine and of weakening Germany decisively. Russia wanted to expand at the expense of the Habsburg Monarchy and become the only dominant power in the Balkans. In addition, Constantinople seemed to be beckoning. Great Britain thought about the European balance of war, though in terms of its own interests, because a German Empire dominant on the Continent would doubtlessly become an elementary threat to Great Britain and also endanger her colonies. It was a question of power, the retention of power, influence and prestige, i.e. things that had an effect on world history like nothing else and that also continue to determine today’s world. None of the governments involved, however, could be at all certain in 1914 how the decision to go to war would be received by its own people.309 France was prepared for anything but the enthusiastic sending-off of its soldiers, and had made preparations to arrest left-wing politicians.310 Great Britain was concerned that the seemingly almost inevitable shortages and even a brief blockade of the British Isles would lead to unem- ployment, food riots and revolution  – they did not.311 Austria-Hungary was naturally concerned about the nationalities question and aware that a proportion of those called up would refuse to serve, yet practically everyone rallied to the flag. In the German Em- pire, the resistance of the political left was feared  – instead, the left voted for war credits. In Russia there was some unrest, but it was of no consequence. Those who had started the war were convinced that they could conclude it victoriously. For the ordinary peo- ple it was not a matter of course that a war was being fought, but it did not appear to them to be something particularly terrifying ; war was part of human existence and was tremendously exciting. This was the greatest adventure of the 20th century ! Salvation through War If we follow the speeches given at the beginning of the war in 1914, the political and military events stand out and this has the effect of giving the entire thing the character of a decision borne by politicians and soldiers. Yet this image is doubtlessly incomplete. We can only do justice to the July Crisis and above all the unleashing of the war when we look beyond the groups already mentioned. In the process, the differences between the European states by and large balance each other out. It was essentially the same cir- cles everywhere who thought of the war, feared it or longed for it. In fact, most of them did not care how the inevitable came about. Indeed, it was almost a relief when the war was finally triggered. Many people regarded it as a relief only because the tension was over. Simultaneously, anxiety spread. What would happen ? We can add countless almost identical remarks to that made by the Chief of the Ger- man General Staff von Moltke during the course of the aforementioned war council in December 1912 in Berlin, according to which he regarded the war as unavoidable and