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Title: A General Sketch of the European War
The First Phase

Author: Hilaire Belloc

Release Date: March 23, 2006 [EBook #18042]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A
GENERAL SKETCH
OF THE
EUROPEAN WAR

BY
HILAIRE BELLOC

THE FIRST PHASE

THOMAS NELSON & COMPANY
LONDON, EDINBURGH, PARIS, AND NEW YORK

_First published June 1, 1915_
_Reprinted June 1915_

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION 7

PART I.

THE GENERAL CAUSES OF THE WAR.

(1) THE GERMAN OBJECT 17

(2) CONFLICT PRODUCED BY THE CONTRAST OF THIS GERMAN
ATTITUDE OR WILL WITH THE WILLS OF OTHER NATIONS 23

(3) PRUSSIA 27

(4) AUSTRIA 39

(5) THE PARTICULAR CAUSES OF THE WAR 50

(6) THE IMMEDIATE OCCASION OF THE WAR 64

PART II.

THE FORCES OPPOSED.

(1) THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF THE BELLIGERENTS 80

The Geographical Advantages and Disadvantages of
the Germanic Body 86

The Geographical Advantages and Disadvantages of
the Allies 121

(2) THE OPPOSING STRENGTHS 136

The Figures of the First Period, say to
October 1-31, 1914 145

The Figures of the Second Period, say to
April 15-June 1, 1915 151

(3) THE CONFLICTING THEORIES OF WAR 164

PART III.

THE FIRST OPERATIONS.

(1) THE BATTLE OF METZ 316

(2) LEMBERG