r greed for influence and
territory. The Russian autocracy went into the fight because of its
pretensions in the Balkans. Then France and Great Britain, the two big
democracies of Europe, threw themselves into the conflict. They fought
to oppose the ambition of the German rulers to Prussianize the whole
of Europe. It soon became obvious that the Teutonic Powers wanted
something of immensely more importance than territorial gains in
Serbia; they wanted to become the masters of all Europe. And so the
initial character of the war changed within a few weeks: it developed
into a conflict between international democracy on the one hand and
international autocracy on the other hand. It was then when the
question of Serbia sank into comparative insignificance that the
Russian autocrats realized that they had enlisted on the wrong side.
But with the whole populace of the country enthusiastically united
behind it, the Government was swept onward; it was too late to make an
abrupt change of front.

Undoubtedly all the members of the ruling class of Russia realized
this fact. But in full justice to them it must be said that the large
majority of them, those who previously had supported the Government
against the revolutionary and progressive elements, decided to accept
the situation and support the war against Germany to a finish,
whatever the results might be in internal affairs after the war.

Within the governing clique, comprising some of the most influential
individuals, was a small group, later known as "the dark forces,"
which quickly came to the conclusion that democracy must be defeated
at all costs.

First of all came the czar himself. Nicholas, however, played a very
small figure as a personality in all the later intrigues. Weak of
character, almost to the point of being mentally defective, he
reflected only the personalities of those about him. Yet he was by
blood seven-eighths German.

Next came the czarina, entirely German, with not a drop of Russian
blood. Of a stronger personality, though scarcely more intelligent,
she formed the real power behind the throne, in so far as direct
control was concentrated in any one person. By persons of more
intelligence than herself she could be used in manipulating the will
of the czar to their own purposes. Behind her, or rather to one side
of her, stood a group of the Russian nobility of German origin,
descendants of the courtiers and officials brought into Russian court
ci