THE BARNES REVIEW: WWI Special Centenary Issue (September/October 2014) PDF

Table of Contents:

How to Start a Bloody World War

By Ronald L. Ray

Who and/or what instigated the near self-destruction of Europe in the height of its glory? How could this mass slaughter called World War I have been allowed to take place? Was it the bankers? Greed? Territorial ambitions? Religious conflict? Imperial hubris? Or was it, in the end, mere stupidity? Assistant Editor Ronald Ray examines the many interlocking events that occurred in the late 1800s and early 1900s that led to the “war to end all wars,” as WWI was billed at the time.

The Attack That Outraged the World

By Philip Rife

We now know the British liner Lusitania was no mere civilian pleasure ship. Recent finds prove the ship was carrying large quantities of war materiel to WWI Allied armies. But the real questions are whether or not Winston Churchill actually hoped the Germans would sink the Lusitania and what actions he took to ensure that the ship was attacked.

Austria’s Role in Starting WWI

By Dr. Matthew Raphael Johnson

At TBR, unlike our mainstream “competition,” we take a pro-German stance on history. So when former TBR editor Matthew Raphael Johnson, Ph.D. submitted this story explaining why he believed Austria deserved the preponderance of blame for starting World War I, there was initially some surprise. But he also gets his shots in on the British as well.

Battling for the Turkish Straits

By Daniel W. Michaels

Since Russia first developed a navy, this massive nation has been on a quest for warm water ports. Despite her vast size, Russia is, for much of the year, landlocked, her ports jammed with ice. This is why control of the Turkish Straits—leading from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean—has been for centuries foremost on Russia’s list of national desires.

The Men Behind Gavrilo Princip

By John Tiffany

When trying to assess the blame for World War I, one must look closely at Serbia. It was, after all, a Serbian who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. But did Serbian leaders know of the plot in advance and did they or did they not try to warn the Austrians of the foul plan in time to stop it? Assistant Editor John Tiffany fills us in.

The Rothschilds and the Czars

By Stephen Goodson

The author, an expert in monetary matters, takes a look at the financial situation in Russia prior to and during World War I and explains why the ending of the Russian royal family and the fomenting of constant unrest in Russia both worked toward the Rothschilds’ goal of getting rid of the State Bank of the Russian empire for the benefit of their private banking dynasty.

German Sabotage Attacks on America

By Philip Rife

The Germans and Austrians, knowing full well the “neutral” United States was arming the Allies during World War I, conceived a plan to sabotage U.S. port facilities that were engaged in such underhanded efforts on America’s East Coast. Here is a brief synopsis of those efforts that, in the end, did more harm than good to the Axis war effort.

Adventures of U.S. Pilots in France

By Marc Roland

In this article, TBR’s Marc Roland tells the tale of the U.S. Army 96th Aero Squadron, a group of daring flyboys who went by the name of the Red Devils. These intrepid young Americans gave it everything they had—including their lives—to help the United States win a war they had no part in starting.

Germany Stabbed in the Back

By Joaquin Bochaca

Prior to World War I, Germany had become a haven for Jews across Europe fleeing persecution, real and imagined. Then why did Germany’s Jewish population collectively stab their German benefactors in the back during World War I?

The Disastrous Versailles Treaty

By John Wear

Everyone seems to agree on one point regarding World War I: The treaty that Germany was forced to sign all but guaranteed another major war would be fought in the near future. But what exactly did the treaty say and why was it so onerous?

The Cost of World War I

By Dr. Harry Elmer Barnes

Would the world have been a better place today had the United States remained strictly neutral in World War I? Famed Revisionist historian and TBR’s namesake Harry Elmer Barnes explains.