Friedrich v. Bernhardi, Germany and the Next War, Berlin, 1913 (6th edition) (345 pp.).
The preface to the sixth edition is dated February 1913.
A typical militarist book, deploring the peace-loving spirit of the Germans, etc., etc. The author frequently quotes his two-volume work on modern war.
Glorification of war, its necessity (“creative and cleansing power”: p. 9).... [Chapter I. “The Right to War”; Chapter II: “The Necessity of War.”]
Laments Germany having shirked the issue in the Morocco incident, by giving way to France (p. 17 and others).
“Christian morality is a personal and social morality and by its very nature can never be political” (24-25).
Hatred of Social-Democrats: they “accept in principle lies and slander” as weapons in the party struggle (32). They “are for revolution” (73) ... (idem, 75).
| Hegel, Luther were for war, etc. | ||
...“Moreover, the Germans completely lack the revolutionary spirit, in spite of all the empty declamation of Social-Democratic instigators. Their whole nature impels them towards sound, lawful development” (80).
Germany has no such guaranteed colonies (markets) as Great Britain has (89)....
Chapter V. “World Power or Downfall”....
In 1912, Italy again joined the Triple Alliance, but is hardly to be counted on in the event of war (96). . . (idem, 180).
We must support Austria in her Balkan policy and try to take Tunisia for Italy (97).
Russia is shaken by revolution (100)—“the army is unreliable” (100), etc., Russia will hardly want an aggressive war against Germany (102)....
With a stagnant population (107), her expansion urge satisfied (107), etc., France offers no danger to Great Britain.
If Italy withdraws ... “the build-up of a very considerable superiority of power against Germany and Austria would become a possibility” (114)....
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We are threatened both from land and sea (115)—we are living in a latent but great crisis (115). This has to be borne in mind, it is “ob- scured ... by deceptive diplomatic intrigue and the official peace professions of all states” (116). |
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We must settle accounts with France, whatever this may entail. “France must be so completely crushed that she may never get in our way again” (118) |
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Belgium ... is neutral, but France and Britain will try to combine their forces with her (123)— “in general, the concept of permanent neutrality contradicts the nature of the state” (123) ... “its supreme moral aims” (123). ...“It will take a year before the 30-cm. gun is ready” (141).... |
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| ha-ha!! time of prepara- tion.... |
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Chapter 7: “The Character of Our Next War.” The forces of the various states.... Figures.... France might have “excellent black troops” (150).... |
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| ha-ha!! | ||||
We (with Austria) have less (?) than France+Russia, and we must aim for quality (156)....
Naval forces (according to the 1912 Nauticus[1])—the British fleet is > twice as strong as ours (170).
Russia is protected by her size (176)—she will not be fighting for existence ... the educated sections of the people are for revolution (ibidem), as in the Russo-Japanese War (177), a “unanimous national upsurge” is unlikely (177).
Switzerland, Belgium, Holland (the French and British will march through the two last-named) ... “neutrality is only a paper bulwark” (179).
Britain seeks to destroy our fleet (184 et seq. Chapter 8: “The Next Naval War”).... She can paralyse our overseas trade (186).... Harwich is being fortified (189), harbours are being built in Rosyth and Scapa Flow (191).... We must concentrate on the air fleet (195).... We must exert every effort to defeat the French navy from land (196)—“War to the Knife” (196) against France ... “to destroy France for ever as a Great Power” (196).
Only victory on land will give us a chance at sea (199).... Russia + France = 180 million inhabitants. Germany has 65 million (201).... Increase the army ... make higher demands on the soldier (205), troops of the line are more important. ...We must “attack” (206).
(“Cadres”, not “reserves”, 210.) Quality is more important than quantity (213) ... “closed-ranks” fighting is of no use, the role of the individual soldier increases, that of his commanders decreases (214)....
Especially important to prepare for the movement (and supply) of large masses of troops, and special tasks resulting therefrom (226 et seq.). Military-technical details on this aspect....
Importance of cavalry—reconnaissance and “cover” (235)....
Necessity for “fluidity” (mobility, flexibility) of organisation (237)....
Prepare for the new, do not repeat the old (247 et seq.)....
Higher development of servicemen is needed—“lectures of a general scientific character” (267) in military academies, etc.
We (Germany) have to pursue a world policy (268, 269), and this requires sea power (Chapter 12: “Preparation for Naval Warfare”)...—we cannot conduct offensive operations at sea,—defence of coasts, etc.
24-cm. guns “must be termed completely unsuitable for modern naval battles” (276)....
...The new Navy Law envisages the construction of 72 new submarines (277) ... the third squadron will be operational only in 1914 (278)....
Tsingtao must be better fortified (282)....
Surprise attacks:
| Great | Britain | September 2-5, 1807 | against | Copenhagen. |
| ” | ” | July 11-12, 1882 | ” | Alexandria |
| (Egypt).... |
Italy against Tripoli and Turkish vessels....
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It was a mistake not to have “settled accounts” with France earlier—occasions could have been found (287): “I consider it the most grievous mistake German policy could ever have committed that we did not settle accounts with France when the world situation was wholly favourable and there was a sure prospect of success. There were many such opportunities” (287).... |
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The education of the people ought to be more religious and patriotic, and against the Social-Democrats (with their anti-patriotic convictions: 291) (Chapter 13)....
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N.B. composition of army > from rural areas N.B. |
“Already today, only 6.14 per cent of German-born servicemen come from large towns, 7.37 per cent from medium- sized towns, 22.34 per cent from small and country towns, and 64.15 per cent from rural areas 1), whereas the ratio of urban and rural population is quite different” (p. 292) |
| 1905: | rural areas | 42.5 per cent |
| small towns | 25.5 | |
| medium-sized towns | 12.9 | |
| large towns | 19.1 |
...“The rural population is most intimately bound up with the army” (292) ... large sections of the town population “are hostilely disposed to the army” (292)....
The beneficial effect of military training ((the army does not withdraw people from useful work, but educates them[2] [this passage is not in Chapter 13])) ... factory labour is harmful in many respects ... the short working day is harmful (294)...
In Russia (in contrast to Japan) the educated classes regarded patriotism as an outworn concept, etc., etc.— hence defeatists (304)...
The government should keep the popular press in hand (305)....
1) Count Posadowski, The Housing Question, Munich, 1910.
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“I should consider it a blessing if all newspapers could be compelled to print certain government announcements so that readers would not be informed about public affairs so one-sidedly as they are through the party press” (306).... |
oho!!!! |
In “financial and political preparation for war” (Chapter 14), one must not be guided by “petty-bourgeois views” (311) ... one must not give way to the “flabby philanthropy of our times” (312)....
| National wealth (marks per capita) |
Expenditure on army and navy (marks per capita) |
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| Germany = | 5,000-6,000 | 16 |
| France | about the same | 20 |
| Great Britain | 6,000-7,000 | 29 |
| (p. 315) | ||
| Emigrants | Unemployed trade union members |
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| From Germany | 20,000 (1908) | 4.4% |
| ” Britain | 336,000 (1908) | 10.0% |
| ” France | 11.4% | |
| (p. 318) | ||
Germany’s economic growth is faster (316-17)....
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A people which spends about 5,000 million on tobac- co and alcoholic drinks could spend “a few hundred million” (320) on defence of its honour, independence and future. In 1870, Napoleon III banked on an alliance with Austria (Paris visit of Archduke Albrecht and Vienna visit of a French general ... 326), but he miscalcu- lated.... |
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Postscript (1913)—our position has deteriorated. The Balkan war, a blow at Turkey and the Triple Alliance.... No serious hopes of peace with Great Britain.... We must utilise Britain’s “rapprochement overtures” for better preparation (343)....
((The book was written in the autumn of 1911: p. 338)).
End
[1] A naval handbook.—Ed.
[2] Play on the German words “entzieht” and “erzieht”.—Ed.
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