#57: 3 August 1914 I - Illusions and Delusion
When Diplomacy Fails Podcast28 Apr 2025

#57: 3 August 1914 I - Illusions and Delusion

The German army was firmly in control of German policy, but its next steps were obvious to any contemporary with even the slightest grasp of the situation. The detour into Belgium had been flagged long in advance by the French, and could only be looked at in one way. The solution, though not officially announced in Berlin, was to manufacture a wide range of rumours of French border violations into a kind of justification. This was brought to its logical conclusion, as the Germans tried to claim - with a straight face - that they needed to invade Belgium, because the French were about to invade there too, so it was essential for German security.


Who could possibly believe such a naked set of lies? Remarkably, the rumour mill was so effective, that it was persuasive enough within German society, and among German officials. Countless communiques emphasised the defensive nature of Germany's offensive actions, and chastised other Europeans for their lack of understanding. Berlin could try to create this alternative reality, but in truth the Schlieffen Plan was the real driving force behind their actions, and other powers could clearly see this truth. Yet, in a policy which was as cynical as it was cringeworthy, Berlin persevered, insistent to the end that offence was defence, and the invasion of Belgium was an urgent matter of national security.


Support the July Crisis series, join the conversation, and find out more through these links:

  1. Do you want ad-free episodes with scripts attached, and bonus content? Support us on Patreon and you can suggest July Crisis episodes!
  2. Join our Facebook group as we make our way through this fascinating series!
  3. Click here to see our July Crisis workspace in Perlego, you'll find every source you need!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(744)

WDF 20.7: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Seven: 1916

WDF 20.7: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Seven: 1916

Hello again, and welcome to 1916. We've got a lot to cover today, and we zip all over what was by 1916 a very global war, so come and join us already! Apologies for the cold, I'm practicing my sexy vo...

13 Feb 201351min

WDF 20.6: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Six: 1915

WDF 20.6: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Six: 1915

Welcome to the special, today we examine a ton of angles surrounding WW1 in 1915; expect to see some Gallipoli and some ships and some Germans and some Americans. I will give nothing away! Let me know...

6 Feb 201349min

WDF 20.5: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Five: Over Before Christmas

WDF 20.5: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Five: Over Before Christmas

Here we ACTUALLY are, apologies for that glitch, welcome to the wonderful world of post July crisis, where we look at the opening salvos of the war that was meant to be over before the leaves fall and...

1 Feb 201355min

WDF 20.4: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Four: The July Crisis of 1914

WDF 20.4: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Four: The July Crisis of 1914

And here we are! In this episode are the ridiculous people that are responsible for the bloodiest century in human history, so be sure to thank them, as you listen to diplomacy failing miserably. Than...

20 Jan 201355min

WDF 20.3: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Three: 1906-1913

WDF 20.3: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Three: 1906-1913

Here we are with part 3/9! Today we jump all over the world, first to Morocco, then the Balkans, then Morocco and then the Balkans again! So just two places really...but still fascinating in its impac...

15 Jan 201349min

WDF 20.2: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Two: 1896-1905

WDF 20.2: SPECIAL= The First World War Part Two: 1896-1905

And we're back! Speeding back into your ears is the second part of my WW1 special, so I hope you enjoy it. This time we look at German naval plans (way more interesting than it sounds) Germany's plans...

9 Jan 201352min

WDF 20.1: SPECIAL= The First World War Part One: 1886-1895

WDF 20.1: SPECIAL= The First World War Part One: 1886-1895

Welcome all! Thanks for stopping by, for the first of nine episodes on the first world war. Instead of reflecting on the mammoth tusk (get it?) in front of me, I intead march on with international dip...

4 Jan 201348min

When Diplomacy Fails: Introduction

When Diplomacy Fails: Introduction

When Diplomacy Fails Podcast is the historical brainchild of Zack Twamley, BA, MA all round awesome guy, and it takes on different wars throughout history as its focus. International relations, diplom...

18 Maj 201219min

Populärt inom Historia

massmordarpodden
kod-katastrof
historiska-brott
p3-historia
motiv
historiepodden-se
olosta-mord
rss-historien-om
rss-seriemordarpodden
rss-historiska-brottslingar
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-massmordarpodden
krigshistoriepodden
mannen-utan-spar
nu-blir-det-historia
obskyr-historia
militarhistoriepodden
bedragare
rss-folkets-historia
palmemordet