Having documentation of a push for war by

cliques in Russia, France, and England, Nock

shows how German war guilt is a myth and, if
anything, pro-war cliques in Russia, France, and
England were successful in conspiring for war.
What makes this book worth reading is not
whether this is the best explanation for WWI.
It is worth seeing how small groups of state
officials engaged in secret actions that led to a
catastrophic war, and continually lied through-
out the whole process to provide themselves
ideological cover. What is fascinating is the
great contrast Nock makes between two wholly
different views of the origin of the war. While
history and reality seem seled and known,
people at different times have radically different
understandings of the exact same events.
July 2011
New York City

If there were no practical end to be gained

by establishing this conclusion, if one’s purpose
were only to give the German Government the
dubious vindication of a tu quoque, the effort
would be hardly worth making. But as I say
at the outset, there is at stake an extremely im-
portant maer, one that will unfavourably af-
fect the peace of the world for at least a gener-
ation—the treaty of Versailles. If the German
Government may not be assumed to be solely
responsible for the war, this treaty is indefen-
sible; for it is constructed wholly upon that as-
sumption. It becomes, not a treaty, but a verdict
pronounced aer the manner of Brennus, by a
superior power which, without regard to justice,
arrogates to itself the functions of prosecutor,
jury and judge.