IN THE WORLD WAR
BY COUNT OTTOKAR CZERNIN
WITH FOUR PLATES
CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD
London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne
Copyright in Great Britain.
PREFACE
It is impossible in a small volume to write the history of the World War in even a partially exhaustive manner.
Nor is that the object of this book.
IN THE WORLD WAR
1
Rather than to deal with generalities, its purpose is to describe separate events of which I had intimate
knowledge, and individuals with whom I came into close contact and could, therefore, observe closely; in fact,
to furnish a series of snapshots of the great drama.
By this means the following pages may possibly present a conception of the war as a whole, which may,
nevertheless, differ in many respects from the hitherto recorded, and possibly faulty, history of the war.
Everyone regards people and events from his own point of view; it is inevitable. In my book, I speak of men with whom I was in close touch; of others who crossed my path without leaving any personal impression on me; and finally, of men with whom I was often in grave dispute. I endeavour to judge of them all in objective fashion, but I have to describe people and things as I saw them. Wherever the description appears to be at fault, the reason will not be due to a prematurely formed opinion, but rather, probably, to a prevailing lack of the capacity for judging.
Not everything could be revealed. Much was not explained, although it could have been. Too short a period
still separates us from those events to justify the lifting of the veil from all that happened.
But what remains unspoken can in no way change the whole picture, which I describe exactly as imprinted on
my mind.
Ottokar Czernin.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
1.
Introductory Reflections
1
2.
Konopischt
34
3.
William II
52
4.
Roumania
77
5.
The U-boat Warfare
114
6.
Attempts at Peace
134
7.
Wilson
188
8.
Impressions and Reflections
195
9.
Poland
200
10.
Brest-Litovsk
211
11.
The Peace of Bucharest
258
The Project Gutenberg eBook of In the World War, by Count Ottokar Czernin
PREFACE
2
12.
Final Reflections
271
Appendix
275
LIST OF PLATES
Count Czernin
Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
The Archduke Franz Ferdinand
48
Count Tisza
128
General Hoffmann
240
[Pg 1]
IN THE WORLD WAR
CHAPTER IToC
INTRODUCTORY REFLECTIONS
1The bursting of a thunderstorm is preceded by certain definite phenomena in the atmosphere. The electric
currents separate, and the storm is the result of atmospheric tension which can no longer be repressed.
Whether or no we become aware of these happenings through outward signs, whether the clouds appear to us
more or less threatening, nothing can alter the fact that the electric tension is bound to make itself felt before
the storm bursts.
For years the political barometer of the European Ministries of Foreign Affairs had stood at "storm." It rose
periodically, to fall again; it varied\u2014naturally; but for years everything had pointed to the fact that the peace
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In the World War by Czernin, Ottokar, 1872-1932
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