Plucky, blameless Belgians

In his review of July 1914: Countdown to War by Sean McMeekin, A. W. Purdue says: “The question of which, if any, nation was responsible for the First World War remains open.” In 1919, someone said to Georges Clemenceau, the prime minister of France, that historians would be arguing for generations over who was responsible for starting the Great War. “Yes,” said Clemenceau, “but one thing is certain: they will not say that Belgium invaded Germany.” The Origins of the First World War: Diplomatic and Military Documents by Annika Mombauer is well worth a read on this subject.

Peter Brooker
West Wickham