When Diplomacy Fails Podcast
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#66: The July Crisis - Conclusion
🕑 Added 2025-06-30 05:30:01 +0000 UTCWhat have we learned after 65 episodes of background, analysis, and day-to-day coverage of the most consequential diplomatic failure in human history? What can we say about those responsible for what happened, and is there any value in searching for guilt? Can we distinguish between guilt or responsibility? Is it a cop out to not look for culprits? Should we search for reasons instead?
The July Crisis is a story of human failure on a catastrophic scale, but not all failures were made equally. One is drawn to the behaviour of Austria, Russia, and Germany - the three Eastern powers - who made the war possible. But did they know what they were doing? Were they knowingly moving the world towards disaster, or simply making what they believed was the best choice available to them? Here we wrap up, as much as possible, this incredible story.
Comments
AnaR737
I LOVED this series! You are right on the parallels that can be drawn to the present. A dangerous and stupid time to be alive, then and now….
howard berger
Three questions, now that we are at the end, three questions: 1. Did the collapse of the Agram trial affect how the elites in Europe viewed Austrian accusations against Serbia in 1914? 2. When the Germans issued the blank check on July 5, did they understand Austria was intent on actual war, that a diplomatic solution wasn't enough? If so, does that color Germany’s response to Grey's initiatives? 3. Do you agree Apis and the other Black Hand leaders were consciously trying to start a war in June 1914? And what happened to them in the war, did any become active in Yugoslavia after 1919?
