10 The Russian Patient
NoMommsen
Donor
Haven't forgeotten this one here ... just a lot of "distractions"
01.08.1914 Saturday
18:00 Berlin City Palace The 'Stars-Hall'
With the secretary gone Tirpitz once again comes back to his seemingly pet topic. Despite the assumed declaration of war being read to the russians [1] just an hour ago, he proposes some kind of toning down message to be sent to St.Petersbourg [2]. Her majesty as well as the empire have to get rid of the odor of aggression. Maybe an intimate letter to the Tsar, as the one just sent, could serve here as well.
That finds strong reverbarations especially with Wilhelm II. There is still the last letter from Nikky from earlier this afternoon, he doesn't have a suitable answer for, that might fit between any matey and family feelings he has and this unfortunate rushed declaration, he doesn't even know the exact wording of as he hasn' seen it yet. The Chancellor informed him only about its broader terms by phone
Jagow, takes up the Grand Admirals strand and suggests to let such an answer sound as explaining, relativating the declaration just read to the russians. Though he doubts it having any effect on their doings, maybe even reaffirming them, rendering it as evidence for a german step back, diplomatically it would pass the blame on them, when hostilities commence, helping to appease not only England but also and especially the neutral powers. Though thinking of he doesn't add : who just became neutrals [3]. And in case it has the hoped for effect, it would give the Great General Staff the needed time to prepare fighting from the empires eastern borders, when necessity arises.
Time, a rare resource. The immediate threat of war in the west at least postponed, Bethmann-Hollweg also becomes friendly to the idea. More than the others concerned about domestics he sees a chance to improve his and the goverments position before the Reichstag and especially the SPD. Time to learn their attitude better, maybe even influencing it into the right direction with worker suppresive tsarist russia becomming even more the aggressor, despite some very last attempts by the Kaiser himself. That would give an appeal towards the workers and the SPD much more weight [4].
Been pleased with the work for the letter to England, Wilhelm II wishes to do the same in this matter also and sends an adjutant to fetch the Tsars letter from his study as well as his former own one. While reading Nikkys message by himself, he lets the others glance over the latter.
Nitpicking starts right away. It assumes a mobilization that hasn't even been declared yet. The Tsar also seems to give himself the right to approve it, just another provocation if not insult. Doesn't it confesses the already watched military measures taking place, also on Germanys borders ? Some render it as just another attempt to lull the Kaiser and thereby improving the russians own lead regarding their military preparation.
At first the conversations running turns even more aggressive, when first bits 'n pieces of an answer are thrown into the discussion, big words forged to please the Kaisers muse, but start to concern Bethmann-Hollweg and Jagow. Not having the exact wording of their own declaration at hand, only the remembrance of its awkwardness, matters are more delicate, than with the rather open and undecided affair of the Lichnowsky-telegram. But Jagow at least remembers the last, the crucial sentence [5]. Given the french habbit of playing with and turning words meanings : ample space to „interprete“ [6].
Their efforts to calm down the discussion are met by the rucurrence of a wee glimmer of hope in Wilhelm II mind [7] and therefore he relies more on the two politicians in drafting the letter to the Tsar, somewhat sidelining the militaries present, leaving them to their own discussions, beside Tirpitz, who's idea it was in the first place.
Having achieved an also the Kaiser satisfying result, Bethmann-Hollweg nevertheless asks the Kaiser to leave its dispatch to him, as it should be accompanied by some information to the now perhaps most important members of the diplomatic corps, Poutalés and Lichnowsky.
Wilhem II consents.
[1] Tirpitz knew in (only) broadest terms of from todays Reichsrat meeting with the chancellor.
[2] He did so OTL also.
[3] like ; Italy, Bulgaria, Romania
[4] as proposed to Bethmann-Hollweg just before he went to this meeting (became IOTL THE mayor part of Wilhelm II 2nd „balcony speech“)
[5] The oriiginal wording :
„..., S.M. L'Empereur, mon Auguste Souverain, au nom de l'Empire, relève le défi et Se considère en état de guerre avec la Russie.“
(„..., H.M. The Kaiser, my sublime sovereign, accepts, in the name of the empire, the challange and considers a state of war with Russia.“)
[6] The wording of the first draft regarding this last sentence :
„..., S.M. L'Empereur, mon Auguste Souverain, au nom de l'Empire, déclare accepter la guerre qui Lui est octroyée.“
(…, H.M. The Kaiser, my sublime sovereign declares to accept the war granted to him.“)
The last „granted“ results from a misperception of the french word „octroyée“ by Count Mirbach, who wrote this draft. He thought of the german „oktroyieren“ which means „impose“ or „force upon“.
[7] See chapter „The Telegramm“, last sentence.
As it will (ITTL) still take some time until this letter "To Russia ... with Love" is formulated, as well as the according further correrspondence, ... not appendix today. But it will come, I promise.
EDIT : Kinda "remake" with some more content added ... and IMO suiting a bit better what I will come up with.
01.08.1914 Saturday
18:00 Berlin City Palace The 'Stars-Hall'
With the secretary gone Tirpitz once again comes back to his seemingly pet topic. Despite the assumed declaration of war being read to the russians [1] just an hour ago, he proposes some kind of toning down message to be sent to St.Petersbourg [2]. Her majesty as well as the empire have to get rid of the odor of aggression. Maybe an intimate letter to the Tsar, as the one just sent, could serve here as well.
That finds strong reverbarations especially with Wilhelm II. There is still the last letter from Nikky from earlier this afternoon, he doesn't have a suitable answer for, that might fit between any matey and family feelings he has and this unfortunate rushed declaration, he doesn't even know the exact wording of as he hasn' seen it yet. The Chancellor informed him only about its broader terms by phone
Jagow, takes up the Grand Admirals strand and suggests to let such an answer sound as explaining, relativating the declaration just read to the russians. Though he doubts it having any effect on their doings, maybe even reaffirming them, rendering it as evidence for a german step back, diplomatically it would pass the blame on them, when hostilities commence, helping to appease not only England but also and especially the neutral powers. Though thinking of he doesn't add : who just became neutrals [3]. And in case it has the hoped for effect, it would give the Great General Staff the needed time to prepare fighting from the empires eastern borders, when necessity arises.
Time, a rare resource. The immediate threat of war in the west at least postponed, Bethmann-Hollweg also becomes friendly to the idea. More than the others concerned about domestics he sees a chance to improve his and the goverments position before the Reichstag and especially the SPD. Time to learn their attitude better, maybe even influencing it into the right direction with worker suppresive tsarist russia becomming even more the aggressor, despite some very last attempts by the Kaiser himself. That would give an appeal towards the workers and the SPD much more weight [4].
Been pleased with the work for the letter to England, Wilhelm II wishes to do the same in this matter also and sends an adjutant to fetch the Tsars letter from his study as well as his former own one. While reading Nikkys message by himself, he lets the others glance over the latter.
Nitpicking starts right away. It assumes a mobilization that hasn't even been declared yet. The Tsar also seems to give himself the right to approve it, just another provocation if not insult. Doesn't it confesses the already watched military measures taking place, also on Germanys borders ? Some render it as just another attempt to lull the Kaiser and thereby improving the russians own lead regarding their military preparation.
At first the conversations running turns even more aggressive, when first bits 'n pieces of an answer are thrown into the discussion, big words forged to please the Kaisers muse, but start to concern Bethmann-Hollweg and Jagow. Not having the exact wording of their own declaration at hand, only the remembrance of its awkwardness, matters are more delicate, than with the rather open and undecided affair of the Lichnowsky-telegram. But Jagow at least remembers the last, the crucial sentence [5]. Given the french habbit of playing with and turning words meanings : ample space to „interprete“ [6].
Their efforts to calm down the discussion are met by the rucurrence of a wee glimmer of hope in Wilhelm II mind [7] and therefore he relies more on the two politicians in drafting the letter to the Tsar, somewhat sidelining the militaries present, leaving them to their own discussions, beside Tirpitz, who's idea it was in the first place.
Having achieved an also the Kaiser satisfying result, Bethmann-Hollweg nevertheless asks the Kaiser to leave its dispatch to him, as it should be accompanied by some information to the now perhaps most important members of the diplomatic corps, Poutalés and Lichnowsky.
Wilhem II consents.
[1] Tirpitz knew in (only) broadest terms of from todays Reichsrat meeting with the chancellor.
[2] He did so OTL also.
[3] like ; Italy, Bulgaria, Romania
[4] as proposed to Bethmann-Hollweg just before he went to this meeting (became IOTL THE mayor part of Wilhelm II 2nd „balcony speech“)
[5] The oriiginal wording :
„..., S.M. L'Empereur, mon Auguste Souverain, au nom de l'Empire, relève le défi et Se considère en état de guerre avec la Russie.“
(„..., H.M. The Kaiser, my sublime sovereign, accepts, in the name of the empire, the challange and considers a state of war with Russia.“)
[6] The wording of the first draft regarding this last sentence :
„..., S.M. L'Empereur, mon Auguste Souverain, au nom de l'Empire, déclare accepter la guerre qui Lui est octroyée.“
(…, H.M. The Kaiser, my sublime sovereign declares to accept the war granted to him.“)
The last „granted“ results from a misperception of the french word „octroyée“ by Count Mirbach, who wrote this draft. He thought of the german „oktroyieren“ which means „impose“ or „force upon“.
[7] See chapter „The Telegramm“, last sentence.
As it will (ITTL) still take some time until this letter "To Russia ... with Love" is formulated, as well as the according further correrspondence, ... not appendix today. But it will come, I promise.
EDIT : Kinda "remake" with some more content added ... and IMO suiting a bit better what I will come up with.
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