"Blunders that led to World War"

by Jeffro 27 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Jeffro

  On the Watchtower.org site at the moment, they are featuring a link to an article that first appeared in the August 2009 Awake! that purportedly talks about how World War I began.

  In JW make-believe land, World War I began suddenly, and was essentially a big surprise. So it's interesting to note that the one of the most significant things that led to World War I—the First and Second Balkan Wars—are completely omitted from the article. All they say is that the region was 'politically volatile'.

  Despite the fact that (actually, because) World War I is so important to JW doctrine (though it actually began too early for their supposed October fulfilment), the Watch Tower Society has never mentioned the two Balkan Wars.
• 

  Bobcat

  Jeffro:

  I'm heading to work at the moment, but when I get time I'll look up a reference in H G Wells Outline of History. Wells also mentions that the pressures leading to WWI were building over a period of time.

  I think possibly if there was an element of surprise, it was vis-a-vis the apparent human progress up till then. I think humanity might have thought they (we) were beyond such savagery when it broke out.

  I also think the Society is trying to paint history according to how they understand invisible Biblical events in the heavens. They would not be the first to read history like that. So, I'll give them credit for at least trying to make sense of history. Many simply ignore history.

  Take Care
• 

  Bobcat

  Actually, H G Wells can be downloaded as a PDF.

  Here is a list of chapters related to this:

  38.13 The British Empire in 1914
  39.0 The International Catastrophe of 1914
  39.1 The Armed Peace before the Great War
  39.2 Imperial Germany
  39.3 The Spirit of Imperialism in Britain and Ireland
  39.4 Imperialiism in France, Italy and the Balkans
  39.5 Russia Still a Grand Monarchy in 1914
  39.6 The United States and the Imperial Idea
  39.7 The Immediate Causes of the great War
  39.8 A Summary of the Great War up to 1917

  I think from the chapter titles one can begin to get the idea that more than just sudden events were the cause. Nothing happens in a vacuum.
• 

  wha happened?

  oh they always paint that era as morally superior to our time, and then BAM. They always forget all the other romantic things about that time. Like women were practically furniture. Racism was rampent. Medical help? Sure, get the leaches! Workers rights? You want a day off?

  It's the same BS.
• 

  Phizzy

  When I was a young man and an active JW, I read Barbara Tuchman's "The Guns of August", I remember that it was the start of my feeling uncomfortable about the WT's interpretation of the first WW.

  The WT would have us believe that everthing was seemingly humming along nicely until Satan was chucked out of heaven, then WW1 erupted, as said above, I noticed that the war was well established by October, and Ms Tuchman made much of the events leading up to the War making a huge conflict almost inevitable, barring a miracle.

  When I look back at the level of Cognitive Dissonance I carried around for so many decades I just cannot understand how I did not wake up earlier, being born-in is some excuse, but boy, I must be a bit of a numb-nuts.
• 

  Jeffro

  Bobcat:

  I think from the chapter titles one can begin to get the idea that more than just sudden events were the cause.

  Of course, as you've shown (and in the first link I gave), there were many things that caused World War I. I should clarify that I didn't mean to suggest that the Balkan Wars were the only thing that caused WWI, but that they immediately preceded World War I and are associated geographically with the content of Awake! article. It was therefore bleedingly obvious to mention them in an article that purports to indicate 'what led to WWI', and intellectually dishonest to omit them.

  The Watch Tower Society has no idea. Or, more accurately, they want the 'rank and file' to have no idea.
• 

  transhuman68

  LOL. I'll play devil's advocate here and say that the Watchtower article isn't too bad as a summary. The Balkans were always a sideshow, as the first world war was really a re-match of the 1870 war between France & Germany. I've got 'The guns of August' on my bookshelf- it's a great book...
• 

  sir82

  It's one of the cornerstones of WTS mythology, that WW1 was a complete and sudden surprise, that absolutely no one in the world expected it, that the world was rushing toward a utopian panacea until it just happened.

  The truth is, the roots of WW1 stretched back decades. Most people viewed the war as inevitable. The only surprise was that it lasted as long as it did.
• 

  JeffT

  For a really good read on the subject get a copy of "Europe's Last Summer" by David Fromkin. As pointed out above there was a lot going on prior to the war, the fighting in the Balkans, whcih nearly turned into WWI in 1912 or 1913. The battleship race between Germany and England, turmoil in Russia etc. Something was bound to set it off, however Fromkin makes a good case that murdered of Archduke Ferdinand was not this stunning event that led directly to war. However, the WTBS is far from alone in accepting that narrative. And I doubt there is anybody writing for them that has ever taken a college level course in history.
• 

  Justitia Themis

  It's one of the cornerstones of WTS mythology, that WW1 was a complete and sudden surprise, that absolutely no one in the world expected it, that the world was rushing toward a utopian panacea until it just happened.

  The truth is, the roots of WW1 stretched back decades. Most people viewed the war as inevitable. The only surprise was that it lasted as long as it did

  Ditto to Sir82's and JeffT's (check your PMs BTW) comments, but I would add one more surprise. The world was surprised in how it actually started (shot heard 'round the world). JWs quote historians out of context when they speak of this aspect. In undergrad, I was required to take a world history class. I was still 'in,' though very disillusioned, but I felt secure that the 'history' I had learned as a JW was correct.

  Long story short, I was shocked to learn that the war happened BECAUSE it was so expected, contrary to what JWs say. Facing the looming threat of war, countries had formed various protection alliances. Other countries were quickly dragged in dominoe-style because they were sworn to support.

  I heartily recommend that everyone read the books recommended on this thread, or buy an older, used, college textbook that covers 'World History From 1500 On.'

  Misunderstanding world history is critical to the JW myth that they are God's channel. Since world history is a required class for virtually every degree, it's no wonder the WTBTS is railing against a college education.