Sorry to bore on but . . .

I just came across this quotation in Fritz Fischer's book from a memo issued by the German Chancellor, Bethman-Hollweg on the 9th September 1914 under the general heading of "War Aims".

"4:  We must create a central European economic association through common customs treaties, to include France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Austria-Hungary, Poland, and perhaps Italy, Sweden and Norway.  This association will not have any common constitutional supreme authority and all its members will be formally equal, but in practice will be under German leadership and must stabilise Germany's economic dominance over Mittel-europa." [My emphasis]

Well, it took them two world wars and a zillion dead but they made it in the end!

Happily, however and coincidentally, just as this gross ambition was put in writing, the battle of the Marne took place, led bravely if desperately by France but also with some British support as well.  The German army was driven back, von Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown and the Schlieffen plan* was smashed!

Vive la France!

*To be fair, by then it was not really von Schlieffen's plan but von Moltke's.

 

 

Comments

[JK]

Uhm David?

Recall Son of Duff's proclamatin' an' esplainin' high 'n low and to anybody of us who'd listen goin' on an' on, on an' on "Brexit will wind us in recession sooner'n who slapped Sally!" And stuff like, "Germany'll exult oe'r our carcass"?

Well ... Point him to this:

https://apnews.com/7eeaa0b5fde44b98a4f8dc896da295a3

You take care of that David and meanwhile I'll a'be emailing CNN and MSDNC.

[Whitewall]

Those Krauts are always "at it" again!

[Whyaxye]

To complement Monsieur Grieve's Legion D'honneur, an Iron Cross for Ms. Soubry, and a special commendation for Gruppenfuhrer Umunna..

[Loz]

The Jerries are operating a surplus and have been for donkeys years. All they have to do is ease off the main sail and break even and that'll lift them off the rocks.

And what are UK and US gonna do?

The Don is already screaming at the fed to reduce interest rates coz he's smelt the recession coffee, and Blighty's already deficit spending and committed to BoJo's splurge.

There's more gas in the Kraut tank to get through a recession, or even a depression, than the US and UK.

And let's remember those X's in the boxes that are the cause of all this. Blighty was growing at 3.2% per annum 3 years ago, leading the G whatever number it was.

Let's see what happens next in the Dad's Army and the Bolsheviks tour.

SoD

[Loz]

So Gaffer: The Jerries have taken mainland Europe. What are you going to do about it with the drawbridge up?

You've gotta be in it to win it. And you bottled it. Graves are being spun in all over Flanders, ghostly murmurings, "We did it with cold steel that you only had to do it with hot air - and you couldn't even manage that. Why did we bother."

SoD

[JK]

http://politicalclownparade.blogspot.com/2019/08/bury-my-dna-results-at-wounded-knee.html

You'll perhaps not know David why that is so hilarious?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_My_Heart_at_Wounded_Knee

Hope that last bit helped.

[Glesga]

Loz, that is uncouth language which you would never hear from sofisticated British Army squaddies. Actually Loz I have volunteered to man a gun post in Kent for when Herman invades. I have been guaranteed my dicky wooden bowel medication by the MOD. Good old Boris is our Churchill.

[JK]

Dunno Jimmy if a American Lieutenant could find himself qualified as a 'squaddie' perzactly but owing to this'un's particular defense maybe this applicates SoD's way:

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/19/lieutenant-accused-taking-apc-joyride-found-not-guilty-reason-insanity.html

[Glesga]

JK, pleading being temporarily daft is the norm now.

[JK]

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/08/20/president-trump-explains-the-big-picture-the-fact-is-somebody-had-to-take-china-on/

What say you SoD, is what Jimmy's saying accurate or, you figuring being like Bob (Baby Ruth™ in the swimming pool) win's over?

[Loz]

Apologies to all for the sweary rant.

Red mist descended when an officious hotel staffer ruined our evening mid-pizza by telling us we had to send the under 18's to their rooms or leave the premises or he'd call the law.

Very sorry you were on the receiving end.

SoD

[decnine]

Did Poland exist as an independent country in Sep 1914? I understood that what wasn't in German hands was held by the Russians. Their GHQ was in Warsaw wasn't it?

[JK]

Don't know SoD that the option, temporary, had got offered.

But then, "hotel staff" you say?

I suppose that qualifies. In. this. one. particular. instance.

Just don't try it again.