CALIFORNIA PREFACE ́E believe we are justified in starting out in this volume upon the fundamental and scientific basis that, if we are to cure a malady, we must understand its cause,we must properly diagnose the case; that in order to find a remedy for war and build securely on the foundation for a lasting peace, we must understand the underlying causes of conflict. Accordingly, the first part of this work is the outgrowth of the author's interest in, and study of, the causes of war, with particular reference to the wars of the past half-century. This study naturally and fittingly led to a more intensive study of the European background of the World War, its remote and fundamental as well as its immediate causes. There was also recognized the need, well nigh universal up to the very present, of a brief suggestive course in book form, for the study of the Great War,-its background, progress and issues, and the peace outlook, which would be suitable for the busy student and the busy citizen, who are simply bewildered in the great mass of unorganized material that confronts them, and that this should be adapted to the schoolroom as well as the home. Hence the second and third parts of this work. For the most part, in following out the two-fold plan just mentioned, the author presented his material in his original articles for the schools and the public, year by year and month by month, as the Great War progressed. Necessarily therefore, the chronology and subject-matter as continued in the present treatise are largely as they were written then. This accounts for present-tense verbs and descriptions occurring in a number of places where, if writ ten from the present field of view, they would occur in the past tense, etc. But these matters do not materially alter the nature or the accuracy of the book. On the contrary, they show points of view and problems of the recent past that it is well to keep in mind, in our attempt to understand and interpret the present world status, and to follow the tremendous work before the peace conference, in the adjustment of the pending momentous and multitudinous issues of reconstruction. As mentioned a number of times in the body of this work, the treatment of our subject herein presented is not intended to be exhaustive. Already too much of such material is presented to the ordinary reader. There is a very great amount of information, covering all phases of this war: its causes, the peace movements and propaganda during the war; diplomatic relations of the various governments; international movements of various sorts and international law, with its violations; official "books" of the warring and other nations; the tools, implements, inventions, provisions, regulations, etc., of war; the issues of the war; forms, theories, ideals and practices of the different governments and peoples involved in the war; finances and financial problems; possibilities in peace terms and arrangements, including the much discussed League of Nations and the Bolshevist movement and danger,—and so on. But in all this there is for the general reader absolutely no systematic organization or uniformity of plan for study or teaching. The author's plan, therefore, is to present as adequately as may be, in a very brief treatment like this, the essential points, so that they may be better grasped and understood by the average reader, and to suggest a wider reading and study for those who may have a little more time. Arcata, California R. EARL SWINDLER. CONTENTS V PRETEXTS AND EXCUSES FOR WAR-SOME ILLUSIONS VI THE IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND OF THE WAR IN EUROPE VII CAUSES OF THE PRESENT WAR. VIII CAUSES OF THE BALKAN WARS (1911-1913) XIV GERMAN DIPLOMACY AND STRATEGY XV OUTLINE OF THE WAR AND ARMISTICE TERMS XVI OFFICIAL PEACE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATIONS I PRESIDENT WILSON'S ADDRESS AT PARIS II PRESIDENT WILSON'S ADDRESS AT BOSTON |