Why Germany's actions in the current EU crisis can be no surprise!
History is the guide to the answer to this post's headline query, but to recall all the gruesome lessons of the past, reminders can often be useful.
I have therefore selected a very few quotes from Barbara W. Tuchman's first rate history of the opening stages of the First World War, "The Guns of August," to remind us that control of their neighbours has been a long-planned objective of Germany and today's uselessness of those neighbours leaders and politicians has unhappily been equalled too often before!
The final quote today seems particularly appropriate! Why cannot the leaders of the EU see that the crisis of the common euro currency could always be foreseen and was widely forecast, the economic governance of other countries, now being demanded by Germany, is the expected reward, for rescuing the welfare state addicted foreign socialists from the consequences of their own excesses.
Only by walking away from the Euro can their democracies and national independence now be restored! The sacrifices will be almost equal, but in one case borne by free men, in the other - as slaves, serfs or peons!
I have therefore selected a very few quotes from Barbara W. Tuchman's first rate history of the opening stages of the First World War, "The Guns of August," to remind us that control of their neighbours has been a long-planned objective of Germany and today's uselessness of those neighbours leaders and politicians has unhappily been equalled too often before!
Von Bernhardi wrote of "Germany's Historic Mission" where Germany must choose "world power or downfall," concluding that "Conquest thus becomes a law of necessity."
100 years of German philosophy, Fichte, Hegel, Nietzsche, Treitsche - the body of accumulated egoism which suckled the German people and cxreated a nation fed on "the desparate delusion of the will that deems itself absolute."
Von Schlieffen's completed plan for 1906 allocated 6 weeks and seven-eighths of Germany's forces to smash France disregarding the neutrality of Belgium. (Wikipedia link.)
Belgium "Socialism was the raging issue. Public apathy to what was happening abroad and a Parliament obsessed with economy, allowed the army to deteriorate to a condition resembling the Turkish."
100 years of German philosophy, Fichte, Hegel, Nietzsche, Treitsche - the body of accumulated egoism which suckled the German people and cxreated a nation fed on "the desparate delusion of the will that deems itself absolute."
Von Schlieffen's completed plan for 1906 allocated 6 weeks and seven-eighths of Germany's forces to smash France disregarding the neutrality of Belgium. (Wikipedia link.)
Belgium "Socialism was the raging issue. Public apathy to what was happening abroad and a Parliament obsessed with economy, allowed the army to deteriorate to a condition resembling the Turkish."
The final quote today seems particularly appropriate! Why cannot the leaders of the EU see that the crisis of the common euro currency could always be foreseen and was widely forecast, the economic governance of other countries, now being demanded by Germany, is the expected reward, for rescuing the welfare state addicted foreign socialists from the consequences of their own excesses.
Only by walking away from the Euro can their democracies and national independence now be restored! The sacrifices will be almost equal, but in one case borne by free men, in the other - as slaves, serfs or peons!
Labels: EU collapse
posted by Martin at 4:17 PM
1 Comments:
The original Von Schlieffen Plan called for the invasion of the Netherlands, but Moltke changed it as they did not have enough troops. They never mention that Luxembourg was also violated by the Germans in both wars.
As well as Tuchman's great book I would recommend The Sword Bearers from Corelli Barnett which has a section on Moltke, Jellicoe, Petain and Ludendorff which effectively covers the whole war.
Barnett was one of the lead writers with John Terraine for the 1960's classic BBC TV series The Great War. Max Hastings acted as a runner for them. Alistair Horne also gets the odd credit.
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