The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-08-19

tria and Germany together. the Ital.
ians having apparently declined to join
with their allies; and the Triple En-.
tente, uniting England, France and
Russia. The story of these alliances
is practically a complete explanation
Of the events leading up to the present
conflict.
The desire of the French to ally
against Germany of course has its
most evident cause in the disastrous
defeat of French arms by the Germans
in the Franco-Prussian war. Since
there is strong probability of the
backgrounds of this war being drench.
ed anew with blood during the pres.
ent conflict, it is of value to renew the
contest, both on this account and be.
cause of its bearing on the Triple En-
tente.
Expected by Bismark.
Bismark, the man at the helm of the
German ship Of state at the time, knew
the Franco-Prussian war was coming
long before hostilities were declared
The French also were prepared for
war between 1856 and 1870 in a slow
half-hearted way. Bismark, far from
being reluctant about the coming OF
the contest, looked forward to it with
confidence and considered it as part
of his calculations.
He accordingly spent four years in
! active preparation and calmly took
enough time to reorganize the armies
of the small German states: 1870 found
him ready. Bismark was careful
Napoleon uncertain and unsuccessful
, At that time the difference between
the German and French armies was
great-a fact which the general public
did not comprehend. Military attaches
and others had, however, warned the
! French officers that their army was in
| bad shape. The French soldiers were
largely veterans and made better ap
pearance than the Germans, but since
anyone could buy exemptions from the
French military service, the French
second line was poor.
On the other hand the Germans had
more technical military knowledge
than the French They had plans for
the invasion of France all prepared
and ready, according to good maps
| They had installed the new general
! staff idea, and the French had not
The large German reserve was well
tarined and kept up on helpful ter
ritorial basis which the French lacked
Again the Germans had studied the
railways as applied to war, and the
efficient use of the modern field tele
graph. They understood the import
ance of relieving the commanderin
chief of big army of detail and giving
the petty offices sense of RESPONSE
bility. Their petty officers had been
trained to use their own initiative
while the French army was organized
on the centralized plan which makes
the petty officers expect long orders
and afraid to act on their own respon
sibility.
All of these circumstances probably
explain the fact that the Germans
goaded the French into the Franco
Prussian war. We know this to be
true today, but 1t did not appear to be
fact at the time Of the war, when
the French were apparently the ae-
gressors.
Hopeless Confusion.
To further endanger the chances OF
the French, their alliances were not
in satisfactory shape when the con-
fiict started. Hence. considering the
true aspect of the situation, 1t was not
surprising that hopeless confusion
hampered the French once war was
declared In Germany, as contrast
everything went forward with marked
smoothness.
From the first the French were de
feated. Unlike the present war, this
contest was without even a skirmish
for some time after hostilities were or
dered. The declaration of war came
on the 10Th of July-it is remarkable
=.
how near the days of the month dupli
cate those of the war now being
| foungth-but the first skirmish did moi
occur until August 2. By the 4th ant
9Th the Germans were winning ant
taking the offensive.
The first and second halves of thu
war showed different characteristics
although the Germans were victoriou
during both. In the first half tn
Franch had veteran army; by tn
time the second half of the conflic