OUTBREAK OF THE GREAT WAR

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 263, 4 August 1939, Page 11

OUTBREAK OF THE GREAT WAR

Quarter-Century Ago Today

MOMENTOUS SCENES RECALLED

A quarter-century to die day lias elapsed since England declared war against Germany, at the outbreak of the Great War, the greatest war that had ever shaken civilization — “the war to end war,” men called it. . So few years after, already there are gathering over Europe the clouds of what threatens to be an even greater conflict, unless it can be averted.

The situation, up to within ten days of the actual outbreak, appeared indeed superficially less troubled than that which prevails in Europe today. At the end of June the world was shocked to read that the Austrian Archduke, Francis Ferdinand, had been assassinated at Sarajevo, Serbia. By the middle of July the world had forgotten all about it. Least of all did a Balkan squabby alarm New Zealand people, so far removed from the events of which they read.

Indeed, on July 25 they found many more diverting things to think about than a curt note reported to have been sent to Serbia by the Austrian Government, demanding that the murderers of the archduke should be punished immediately. Quite right, said newspaper readers, and looked elsewhere for happenings nearer home. A Maori tohunga woman was standing trial in Auckland for witchcraft, or its equivalent. An expedition was being organized to search, for the’ treasure of the General Grant, 40 fathoms deep below the cliffs of Campbell Island. Farmers were alarmed at the threat of American interests entering the New Zealand meat market. The Austrian paragraph was not dissimilar to those which had appeared daily for a month past. That was ou Saturday. On the Monday they road that war was inevitable. Most people thought, just another Balkan imbroglio—till it was pointed out that Russia would intervene for Serbia, and in that case Germany would probably be drawn in. March of Events. The- following days the march of events accelerated. On July 28 Austria declared war on Serbia, and two days later bombarded Belgrade. Russia mobilized. Germany declared war on Russia ou August 1. She invaded Luxemburg, in violation of her guarantee of neutrality. On August 2 German troops entered France, at Cirey. Ou August 3 it became known in London that Germany had demanded passage for her troops across Belgium, and had been refused, that Britain would stand by Belgium. The naval reserves were called up, and general mobilization begun. Sir Edward Grey made an official statement of the British policy. Bank Holiday crowds marched up the Mall to Buck Ingham Palace, and cheered King George and Queen Mary. Business was at a standstill. The following day came the fateful announcement that Britain had sent an ultimatum to Germany, a reply being expected that evening. The day was one of prolonged and anxious suspense. Even at that late hour there were those who thought war might be averted, that Britain might choose a neutral role. Though war was actually declared at 11 p.m. on August 4, it was not till after midnight that the statement was issued by the Foreign Office that, war had been declared. Crowds waited in the meantime in Trafalgar Square, the Mall, Downing Street, and outside Buckingham Palace. They cheered and sang the National'Anthem, the "Marseillaise” and “Rule. Britannia.” They raised a great roar of cheering when, small and black against the lighted windows, Their Majesties appeared on the palace balconv in response to the insistent tumult from the streets. When the news of the declaration of war was announced, it was received by loud cheering, and there were patriotic demonstrations, particularly outside the War Office, till dawn. Next mornthere was a rush to the recruiting stations. News Reaches Wellington. The news was received in Wellington on the afternoon of August 5. During the preceding days the suspense had increased, and it had reached its height when, on the morning of the fifth, public notices were displayed prominently about the city, stating that the Governor-General, Lord Liverpool, would make an important announcement from the steps of the Old Parliament Buildings in the afternoon. It was understood, added the notice, that this did not mean a declaration of war. But the Governor-General was grave when be faced the 15,000 people who waited in breathless silence outside Parliament. “Fellow subjects,” he said, “since I sent out that notice, this morning. I have got another telegram. It is very short. I will read it to you: ‘War has broken out with Germany.’ ’’ The announcement was received with a tremendous outburst of cheering, and witli booing and hooting for the German Emperor. A fever of patriotic fervour ran through the crowd, and that night there was an impromptu procession through the streets, young people singing and waving flags, wild with exeitement.

Perhaps no declaration of war will ever be received again with such enthusiasm. The four years that followed taught the world that war was never again to be the heroic thing it had been in the past. When those miserable years dragged to an unsatisfactory peace, men determined they would never allow such a catastrophe”to happen again. New Zealand was the poorer by 17,000 of the youngest and finest of her manhood, and other nations had made similar sacrifices —to what end? And yet, already, 25 years later, the threat of war is again looming large on the international horizon. (Pictures on Page 7).