Source: File: Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. See an original image at: <https://macedonia1912-1918.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/ww1-leaders-german-statesmen-and-army.html> [Accessed 28 December 2016]
Possibly prompted
and basking in glow
Of success over
Roumanian defeat,
Germany purveyed
idea of negotiated
Peace - perhaps
to believe that with
Advent of
Christmas and goodwill to all
Men that this might
be taken seriously.
Came an echo of
previous attestations,
Where war's
conclusion might become
Reality - another
chapter for peace
Emerged from words
by the German
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
12 December 1916, given in a speech.
The act of Roumania's entry to conflict
Began the body of the speech before
The Reichstag podium - in seriousness
Of the situation was noted Field Marshall
Von
Hindenburg's strength - who had
Captured
Bucharest and Wallachia.
This had been
achieved alongside other
Fronts; the
Somme, Italy and Russian -
Without any let up
Hiddenburg pushed
All operations onwards.
A twist existed
In Roumanian
foodstuffs stocks,
While German
enemies felt a famine.
The speech
entwined praise and awe
On emperor's
heart, by 1st anniversary
August 1915 -
words told how Germany's
Empire was not a
besieged fortress, but
An organised
nation - having limitless
Resources, alongside
a force of allies.
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
Laid out claims to a nation of defence
And freedom - having quite forgotten
Their initial invading aggression -
Ever ready to hold out the German
Hand made claim of a peaceful country.
'God, humanity and nation' - three
Elements evoked the story, how all
Attempts for German declarations
Of peace were always avoided -
A reluctant Kaiser had mobilised,
Prompted by Russian
mobilisation.
To claim
throughout months of war,
The emperor
wanted only peace -
His morals and religion
nature finally
Prompted him to
make official
Request for war's
end, for harmony
With hostile countries
in mutual peace.
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
Advised he had sent a transmission
Of a note for peace to major neutral
States; Switzerland, America and
Spain - ensuring all hostile powers
Received this, as well as neutrals.
To include the Pope who had always
Been an agent for a peaceful end
To conflict - the peace note circulated
To Constantinople, Vienna and Sofia.
The Chancellor edged towards reading
Circulated note in challenging enemy.
Greatest of all claims was the real
Existence of German world power,
And their clear conscience to act
In choosing peace over slaughter -
If declined than those that fought
Against them are wars perpetuators.
By suggestion that their enemies
Seek only to conquer how they,
With such words, spin doctor this
Situation - 'God will be the judge'
As Germany carrys on their way;
A burden of horror will be enemies.
To state the
obvious catastrophe
Of conflict over
much of the world,
Germany was not
out to annihilate
Their adversaries,
in a war forced
On them - yet a
strong economy
Would enable them
to continue.
A bitter end
would be no problem,
Though civilization
might dissolve
Into ruin -
victories in Balkan arena
Only showed German
power - how
That situation
justifies their nations
Claim to unrelenting
successes.
'Germany then
carries on a war
Of defence' - she
fights to assure
Integrity of
frontiers and liberty
Of her nation' -
for free intellect
And to develop
peaceful energy
Alongside neighboring
nations.
A pontification
address to pope's
Intentions was to
set out Germany
As subject of
victimisation - only
Germany was ready
for peace -
Setting forth an understanding
for
The Holy See to channel
outcome.
Making out his
congratulations for
Imperial
chancellors speech came
Reports via
neutrals, quoting words
Of Marshal von
Hindenburg - whose
Emotion was a soldier’s
response;
'To live and die
for the fatherland.'
Words from a Berlin
telegram added
More prophetic rhetoric;
Hiddenburg
Declared the
highest holy duty by
Prosecuting
victory another, Dr von
Bethmann-Hollweg,
stated the words
As being both the
army and peoples.
To reinforce that
if German enemies
Did not terminate
the war, guarantee
Of Germany is to
fight and secure
Fatherland a
strong, lasting peace -
Meanwhile neutral
reactions came
In with
importance of United States.
Missouri
politician and chairman
Of Senate
Committee for Foreign
Relations, William
Stone, addressed
The 'League to
Enforce Peace' - as
An advocate of
American neutrality,
With right to
open up negotiations.
William Stone
refused all warnings
From any foreign
statesmen opinions,
That United
states peace movements
Would be seen as futile
and offensive.
He pointed out
that USA had lost lives
And property due
to European events.
Despite this that
the USA movements
Should not be
considered as meddlers,
But as a friend
who had been affected
By wars ruthless acts
- what might then
Happen from the
latest initiatives from
Germany; might peace come in 1917?
Germany; might peace come in 1917?
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Hindenburg And Peace - Significant Telegrams. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.3. Available
at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 28 December 2016].
Anon.,1916. The Peace Proposal - An American View. The
Daily Telegraph, [online]
15
December 1916. P.10. Col.6. Available
at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12213996/Daily-Telegraph-December-15-1916.htmll>
[Accessed: 28 December 2016].
Source: File: Extract from the Speech of
Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916. Available at: <https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Extract_from_the_Speech_of_Chancellor_von_Bethmann-Hollweg_in_the_German_Reichstag,_December_12,_1916> [Accessed 25 December 2016]
Source: File:
Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917.
Available at:
<https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Official_Communications_and_Speeches_Relating_to_Peace_Proposals_1916-1917>
[Accessed 25 December 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication,
28 December 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Peace
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