The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915 What Americans Say to Europe

"The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915" by Various, dissects the powder keg of early 20th-century Europe as World War I ignited. It's a deep look into the political chess game that led to war, specifically examining if the countries involved had good, legal reasons for their actions. The collection includes many articles looking at important events, like when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed and how Austria-Hungary, Serbia, and their friends reacted. It's like a time capsule showing what people thought and how diplomats reasoned back then. James M. Beck kicks things off by using thought experiments to judge the behavior of different nations. He champions for a global sense of right and wrong, even when war seems to throw everything into chaos, and questions whether Austria-Hungary was right to attack Serbia after the assassination, along with Germany's support. He argues that war wasn't the only option, and peace could have been achieved through effective diplomatic means.