The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

as a great surprise, and was received everywhere with stupefaction and mute resignation, and even by some as a harmful and mischievous joke.

Austria’s military action was in complete harmony with her diplomatic action. It is a new proof, if any is necessary, that the present war was “‘ made in Germany,” a genuine piece of Prussian statecraft. Austria-Hungary did not perceive the grim determination of Germany to impose war upon her ally, appearing at the same time in the guise of a faithful friend ready to fight in an Austrian quarrel. Austro-Hungarian diplomacy, aS we now know positively from the published documents, hesitated at the last moment, reluctant to take the decisive step and willing to accept the proposal of Sir Edward Grey. But Germany stepped in and rushed her into war, regardless of consequences.

Austria-Hungary declared war, but hesitated to open hostilities. She was unprepared or unable to imitate the example of Germany in her violent advance into Belgium, and thus she lost some precious moments which perhaps compromised her whole Serbian campaign. Blinded by their overwhelming conceit, the AustroHungarian generals could not imagine that Serbia would dare to resist. They planned to occupy Belgrade, to hang a few hundred infliuential citizens, and thus quench their thirst for revenge by inflicting upon Serbia a moral and material punishment. They expected vaguely

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