We are, as far as the Austrian Germans
are concerned--about a third of the population of Austria--the same
people. We have, and that is perhaps the most decisive point in the
alliance, nearly the same position on the surface of the globe.
We are both inland empires situated in the centre of Europe, surrounded
by many different nations, all of whom may bear some grudge against us.
As long as our joint frontiers are safe we can stand back to back and
face calmly any unnatural confederation like the present one.
We concluded the alliance with Austria because we wanted to safeguard
ourselves against foreign attack; it has turned out the alliance has
involved us in war. We might have avoided the war at present if we had
broken faith with our ally.
It would not have been difficult for us to find some legal quibbles,
like those which Italy, following a policy of very sober national
egotism, is now earnestly exclaiming to all the world.
If we had done so we should have been knaves, but we should have been
fools as well. For surely nobody can believe that the forces
antagonistic to Germany would have ceased to act if we had left Austria
in the lurch.
Neither France nor Russia nor England would have changed their policy.
They might, moreover, have tried to make Austria join in some future
conspiracy against us.
There are three main causes to which the war is due:
1.
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