The speed of events in August
From the safety of 100 years later we tend to look only at the battles and mourn the horrendous loss of life.
Were you in the UK in May, June, July, 1914 your perception would be that the war will not happen. As June progressed the feeling around was this was a continental spat and not really our concern. In July the realisation dawned that war on a continental scale is not just possible but probable. It was this late in the day that diplomatic efforts really got into gear. Even towards the very end of July there was hope that Germany might be dissuaded from hostile acts. THEN suddenly events move at such an alarming speed that diplomacy and sense have no relevance.
On 01 August Wilhelm II declares war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II.
On 02 August Germany issues its ultimatum to Belgium (to allow free passage or be considered an enemy). On the same day Luxembourg is overthrown and Germany signs a secret pact with Turkey. The Russians invade East Prussia. What a day in the space of 24 hours the conflict spread across Europe to from Istanbul in the East and St Petersburg in the North – no way back from here.
Things sped on, the Belgians rejected the German ultimatum and were duly invaded on 04 August. Thus Great Britain was perforce dragged into the fight. The carnage had begun with the first battle of Mons and a British defeat took place a mere 19 days later.
By the end of the month Lithuania was in German hands and some 170,000 men were killed or wounded at the 4 day battle of Tannenberg. A huge and devastating defeat for the Russians that became a rallying cry in the revolution to come.
America declared its neutrality and warned that loans to combatants would be in breach of that status. It would seem that it was not four years that changed the world but a mere four days.
That world, however, saw some significant and world changing events not brought about by war, The Panama Canal opened 0n 15 August (under budget it must be said) and on the same day Japan declared for the allies so the world was now truly involved.
Saving lives the first traffic lights were installed in Cleveland, Ohio. Ominously for the future the Jews were expelled from Michenick in Poland, we should remind ourselves that the spectre of “The Zionist Plot” was a potent part of the propaganda war.
On the sporting front Oscar Egg (what a name) set a new 1 hours cycling record of 44+km and Australia beat USA 3 matches to 2 in the Davis Cup.
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