Fact: World War I began in July 1914 and ended in
November 1918, leaving 17 million dead and approximately 20 million wounded.
According to military historian Gary Sheffield, the First World
War began for two fundamental reasons: "First, decision-makers in Berlin
and Vienna chose to pursue a course that they hoped would bring about
significant political advantages even if it brought about general war. Second,
the governments in the entente states rose to the challenge."
Sheffield adds: "At best, Germany and Austria-Hungary
launched a reckless gamble that went badly wrong. At worst, 1914 saw a
premeditated war of aggression and conquest, a conflict that proved to be far
removed from the swift and decisive venture that some had envisaged".
http://www.theweek.co.uk/59782/how-did-the-first-world-war-start
Let’s jump a century
forward and examine a pending crisis in Syria.
We witness video of
children foaming at the mouth from a chemical attack by a dictator gassing his
own people and we receive reports of over 40 deaths and many others permanently
damaged by the attack. Atrocious!
But beware! Let us learn from history.
The current situation in
Syria has created a powder keg where
Assad, Putin, and Ruhani
are sparring with Trump, Netanyahu, Bolton, May, and Macron. Instead of pouring gas onto a smoking ember,
the US leadership should be advocating against more “fire power”.
Trump has tweeted, "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
WAIT!!! Why not secretly take out the
perpetrator? Assad is obviously an
immoral dictator. Can a coalition of
secular humanists not be brought together to solve this problem before
Armageddon erupts?
Let’s learn from
history.
July 1914
I
All month a smell of burning, of dry peat
smouldering in the bogs.
Even the birds have stopped singing,
the aspen does not tremble.
smouldering in the bogs.
Even the birds have stopped singing,
the aspen does not tremble.
The god of wrath glares in the sky,
the fields have been parched since Easter.
A one-legged pilgrim stood in the yard
with his mouth full of prophecies:
the fields have been parched since Easter.
A one-legged pilgrim stood in the yard
with his mouth full of prophecies:
“Beware of terrible times… the earth
opening for a crowd of corpses.
Expect famine, earthquakes, plagues,
and heavens darkened by eclipses.
opening for a crowd of corpses.
Expect famine, earthquakes, plagues,
and heavens darkened by eclipses.
“But our land will not be divided
by the enemy at his pleasure:
the Mother-of-God will spread
a white shroud over these great sorrows.”
by the enemy at his pleasure:
the Mother-of-God will spread
a white shroud over these great sorrows.”
…
an excerpt from July 1914 by Anna
Akhmatova, 1889-1996
CPW
