WHY BRITIAN WENT TO WAR

Britain (and its Empire) entered the Great War on 4 August 1914. The reason given by the British government for going to war was to protect Belgium which had been invaded by the German army the same day. Belgium was a neutral country and Britain had signed a treaty to support Belgium if it was invaded.

However, the main reason was to prevent France being defeated by Germany. Britain believed that a German victory would leave Germany in control of Western Europe, and particularly the Channel ports of Holland, Belgium and northern France. For several hundred years Britain had tried to ensure that no hostile country controlled this area which could be used to launch an invasion across the English Channel. Also, Britain was a trading nation with a global Empire, and it was vital that the Channel remained open so that its ships could travel freely to other parts of the world.

BACKGROUND TO THE WAR

The origins of the war go back to the emergence of Germany as a single country in 1871. Before that it had been a collection of smaller princedoms. During the process of unification, Germany fought a short war with France. Germany won the war and afterwards took control of the French territories of Alsace and Lorraine. This created a lasting tension between France and Germany.

In 1879, Germany and Austria agreed a military alliance which bound the two countries together.

Over the coming years, Russia – like France - began to feel threatened by the new powerful Germany. In 1894, Russia signed an alliance with France. This stated that if either country was attacked by Germany the other would come to its help. From this point Europe was divided into two armed camps.

Britain tried to stay out of what was happening in Europe and instead concentrated on defending the Empire. By 1900, however, British leaders had become worried by growing German military and economic power and the aggressive statements and threats of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German king. Britain was also finding the Empire increasingly expensive to maintain and defend.

THE LEAD UP TO THE WAR

It was because of this sense of weakness that Britain entered into an alliance with its traditional enemy, France, in 1904. This was known as the Entente Cordiale. Another agreement, this time with Russia, followed in 1907. In Germany, these alliances fuelled a growing sense of danger. Many Germans felt that their country was now surrounded by hostile states (see map above).

Germany responded by building up its fleet of warships. This further increased tension with Britain which responded by building more battleships of its own. The alliances in Europe meant that local conflicts were more likely to escalate into a major war. Although several crises - in Morocco, for example - were settled without war, this is what happened in 1914.

The Balkans, in south-eastern Europe, proved to be the flashpoint. The region had become unstable as the power of the Ottoman Turks there declined and the influence of Serbia grew. Serbia had good relations with Russia as both were Slavic countries, but was on poor terms with Austria, which was worried by Serbia’s growing strength.

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo. Austria blamed Serbia, which then looked to Russia for support. Germany declared war on Russia in support of Austria and on France because of her alliance with Russia.

To attack France, the German army had to pass through neutral Belgium which it invaded on 4 August 1914. In Britain this provided the Liberal government with a justification for going to war.

Only three days earlier, the government - and a large part of the population - had been opposed to war. They did not believe that Britain should become involved in European power politics. The invasion of Belgium changed that. Liberal leaders were able to make a different case for going to war - one in which Britain was seen to be standing up for a small country against a much larger one, in defence of international law.

The strategy worked and in the space of a few days support among the public and in the House of Parliament swung overwhelmingly in favour of war.

WHY DID MEN VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT?

Hundreds of Winchester men, including several in this book, volunteered to serve in the armed forces in the Great War. Many people wonder why they did so given how many men were killed. This, of courses, misses the point. In 1914, the peak period for volunteering, the terrible battles of the war had yet to be fought. In August and September 1914 men expected the war to be short. Some thought it would be over by Christmas.

Men volunteered for different reasons. Some were keen for adventure. Others enlisted because their friends had. Some, especially in areas of high unemployment, welcomed a job with regular pay and meals. Most, however, did so out of a sense of duty and because they believed that Britain’s cause was just. It was the right thing to do. William Hooker, of Western Road, was just 18 years old when he volunteered with the Hampshire Regiment in September 1914. He later wrote:

The daily papers were calling out for recruits to join the forces. I considered it was my duty to go. I talked it over with my father who said he would put nothing in my way. Some of my friends had joined the local Territorials in Winchester so I went along and became a soldier.