European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse From being Ina Ted and humiliated in tlu1 Franco prussian of 11171, in � hit h in lost Al sat e Nicl ,. A Progress me. Lively prideful rearming Irani in Many ways 11 pied the German style of or dulled to the attack school ofw.irf.iri-, All of the germans. A generation la i taken .1 is always followed by a generation that deals one German Prim Otto von k warned. There Imperial Russia to Ili Easl boiling in in own bitter juices a dist on tended whale of a country in an Imperial Polilli Al i. Is masses on the verge of inc. salad 01 hint hand a oar who seemed permanently out in hint h when it tame to dealing Wilh the gut people. Mother Russia was sit k. There were the than Well turks Learned loj Siosi 4leimii.irlly on Parade and would Side with Hose Premier Goose steppers in Merlin the turks v. In of Debauc bed government in the words of military historian a Marshall like the worst of the Chicago mobs during the there wen1 the Uncertain fragmented italians who would enter Mie War fail miserable a lore rallying courageously on Llu Side in the allies Anil then were other placers in tin drama lining up on Milide t r the other waiting Lor the spark. And then the Art Duke got that Bullet in the net k. Spat a bit of blood Anil toppled Over into immortality. Throughout july the i european a t healed to a rolling boil. Even As they geared Lor War and plotted strategies. However no Tounley wanted to accept War guilt and Many began issuing diplomatic papers laying the blame for hostilities in tin a toes while establishing the righteousness of their t auses and invoking the blessings of god on their Noble t nurses was followed by t . Europe. Gauntlets Weie thrown Down Gauntlet swede picked up. And soon men and nations thai prided themselves on Leason Antl order would be swinging away it inc h other with All the bully bravado of a free for All at a sporting event. There were frantic efforts by some to Diaw Bat i. Before in was too late but whirlwinds of misconceptions were in the Saddle plunging Loward inc abyss. All the Voltl devils National ambition and greed an excess of fatuous and and foolishness lust for Power and Conquest Mutual fear and distrust. Would mix diabolo ally with Junior locally courage sle.idlaslm-s-. And an almost innocent in isl for adv Lureas nations to prove this and that on Fields of Honor that would turn into Boneh aps of Honor Tosa that i hi1 world overheat Letl to i Ferdinand s misfortune , is like saying a Volcano Levels compelled to erupt in malt h the hissing of a ill cent firecracker. All the grand alliances thai had been formed Between nations Wilh suit Ian elation As guarantees of peace became their own ensnaring traps As leaders postured blundered retreated and advanced from one incredible Doc Ision to am Wilhur t he a sturdily of it All was amplified by the t owned Heads of Europe still lugging around Imi hoi their old divine right baggage and Many of whom were related by blood and marriage going Back to Queen Vit , 1 hese included the Clear cousins Sii by Nicholas ii car of All the Russia Antl Willy Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany who after hanging All it lion ale notes tended to burst into Petty tantrums. Spats that would Send millions of commoners Forward As Rannon fodder to Iron out a Royal Lack of Communia Alii n. Adding devious fuel to the in pearling inferno was the Austro a Lunga iian of Scalf Gen. Franz Conrad von Wolzendorf who Hall t on Pird with his country s foreign minister count i Espohl von Berchtold to spank its unruly Little neighbor Serbia into obeisance. Even alter Prool Vav is presented thai the serbian government was l behind Ferdinand death Anil Serbia had at c opted x i Lually All austrian demands t it doddering remains of the hapsburg Empire declared anyway. It was to lie a neat Little affair exercise for the troops. Bui then Russia lumbered in mobilising to Prole t us Little slav brother Serbia. Germany and the blustering vainglorious Kaiser t ame galloping to the Aid of its ally. Austria Hungary threatening to March against Russia and its ally franc e. Britain growled that in would fight in Germany marched on Little Belgium if we Are to be crushed came the word from Belgium let us be crushed Germany of the spiked helmet clicked its heels menacingly sloped its boots Anil prepared to March. Soon everyone was growling stomping and preparing to Anarch. Portly old generals steeped in the tactics of the i lib top us the beginning at the War inf ios asm was High among inv German populace. Above three Central figures in the War Kaiser Wilhelm ii Archduke Tram Ferdinand and Czar Nicholas ii. Century revved up their stately Battle plans. Officers in plumed helmets trolled about on snorting steeds practising Saber slashes and cavalry charges. 1 he great at venture War As daring sport was upon them. Zealous politicians who did t know real Battle from a hot air balloon slathered heroic Mouth music. Career opportunities were a Ury Winore. Especially in Berlin ant i Paris were spirits High Antl Confidence supreme thai their invincible armies would be in the enem a capital in no Lime at All. The ambivalent Kaiser fancying himself the divine inheritor of the god of Battle liking to Parade around celebrating old 1 Eutonia victories while feeding his germans a Heady diet of Nilo the world destiny Bilge had had serious doubts about plunging Germany and himself into a big War. Big talk was cheaper. A Young Winston Churchill described the Kaiser As wanting Napoleon s co Mitesh without fighting Napoleon s now however the Kaiser and the mighty German military machine were committed. Of what .1 Lovely War it was going to be. And How the crowds cheered and Sang in their sons marched off in their glorious Clae. The glory would spread to 28 countries on six continents from Europe to China to the african coast even inc United slates trying to look the other Way and walk the Neutral line would one Day descend into the howling pit. The lamps Are going out All Over Europe lamented the British foreign Secretary sir Edward Grey out his window. We shall not see them lit again in our lifelimc1." the big pop began on a Lovely August morning when a Lance carrying squad of German cavalrymen in fancy helmets pranced up to a French Border Post near Belfort. A French Corporal carrying a Rifle challenged them. The German lieutenant leading the patrol whirled his mount into position pulled out his pistol and fired Thiee shots two of the shots hit Trees. The third banged into the Chesl of let Frenchman who bravely raised his Rifle and got off three shots of his own thai sent the lieutenant sprawling from his horse. 1 he Frenchman staggered a few Steps fell and became the first Soldier to be consumed in a gluttonous Slaughter that would see by some estimates More than 37 million military dead wounded missing and made prisoner and More than 12 million civilian casualties. In All the carnage there were the Early lessons to to Learned of course. The always attack French c barged headlong and Helm Elless helmets were considered unmanly in their Century old uniforms of Bright red pantaloons and crashed into killing Walls of German machine gun fire Afler half a million casualties the continued on Page 12 August 17, 1989 stripes Magazine 11
