#52: 1 August 1914 IV - Desperate Diplomacy

When Diplomacy Fails Podcast

Zack Twamley

19th Century, 20th Century, International Relations, Politics, Thirty Years' War, Korean War, 18th Century, First World War, Phd, 17th Century, European History, History, War

4.8 • 773 Ratings

🗓️ 24 March 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Now that it was clear Germany would have to face the Entente, and likely Britain's imminent intervention, Berlin became much more active in sending diplomatic feelers across Europe. Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, and the Ottoman Empire, were all ideal targets. Some were erstwhile allies, others convenient partners, but could they be relied upon now, when the war had become reality?

In St Petersburg, the Russian answer to Germany's ultimatum was finally delivered, even if it took several hours for it to reach Berlin. However Sazonov might try to dress it up - however much editorialising the final meeting between he and the German ambassador endured - one thing could not be denied. Russia and Germany were now at war, and both conceived of this conflict as purely defensive in nature. Each had a point, but neither were able to pull back, and talk increasingly turned from preserving peace to preparing for war, as the desperate diplomacy of all sides did its work.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	In summer 1914, the world went to war.
0:04.6	Now 110 years later, we go back to those figures, to those debates, to those questions,
0:12.2	in the greatest failure in the history of diplomacy.
0:16.3	I am Dr. Zach Twomley. You're listening to When Diplomacy Fails, and this is the July
0:23.2	Crisis. Confiding in the sense of justice and in the pacific spirit of which your majesty has given the world so many proofs
1:01.9	we beg you to put an end to the anguish of nations and by your mediation to accomplish a peaceful
1:08.8	composition of the Austro-Serbian conflict.
1:13.1	Henri Le Fontaine, President of the Bureau of International Peace, writes a desperate plea to the Kaiser.
1:23.5	If you were expecting a straightforward march to war, well, you've come to the wrong podcast.
1:30.4	Although Berlin's two ultimatums had not been answered and their deadlines had expired,
1:35.7	the actual decision to declare war had become complicated.
1:39.5	Chancellor Bethven-Holvig insisted that for the sake of legal propriety,
1:44.0	Germany must declare war,
1:45.9	before it acted in a hostile manner towards its enemies. But the Schleifen plan was not equipped
1:51.6	either to cover Germany in honour or to deal with unexpected circumstances, as we know it
1:57.9	prescribed a quick march west, followed by a return to the east, to contend with a two-front war.
2:03.6	However, the plan had not envisioned a situation where Russia covertly mobilised first.
2:10.1	Bethmann felt compelled to declare war on Russia, even though the main thrust of the German army was heading towards France,
2:17.3	and he wouldn't declare
2:18.1	war on France for another two days, under advice and pressure from the generals, who hoped for,
2:24.5	and in some cases even fabricated French violations. Only later did Bethman concede that declaring
2:32.1	war was diplomatic suicide, but it was actually worse than this.
	...

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