"Historical theories tend to go in cycles."

Really nameless GUEST?? Care to take us through a complete one - preferably NOT connected to the Great War - to illustrate the veracity and application of this theory of yours, you see I have always thought that historical "theories" were based upon what information was available at the time those theories were expounded and generally as time goes by more and more information comes to light and the more factual and accurate the theory becomes. Now if all of that seems reasonable, rational and logical it therefore follows that what was written about the Great War in the period 1970 to the present day is far more detailed and informed than what was written between 1929 and 1969.

Ah Gnome so speculation is the main tool used by all Governments in their decision making process when it comes to deciding on what course of action to take and in the formulation of Government policy after all they cannot possibly know for certain what is going to happen in the future. With regard to national security matters I know that the JIC are given a problem or a situation to look at and their brief is to provide two scenarios a best case and a worst case to present to Cabinet - it is then up to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to decide on how the government will proceed.

But as previously stated and stated here for the last time as you can damn well go and read it for yourself, if Germany stated to Belgium that if their troops were resisted should German troops enter Belgium then after the Belgian forces had been defeated Germany would annex Belgium so that it would become part of Germany then it is NOT speculation to say that that is what would have resulted from a Belgian defeat - ever heard of declared intent? Same goes for what would have happened to French and Belgian colonies - the Germans declared their intentions before they attacked - THEIR war was one of conquest, domination and expansion.

Had Belgium become part of Germany it is a physical fact that the German High Seas Fleet would have bases available to them only four hours steaming from London - Fact Gnome NOT speculation - would that be seen as posing a direct threat to the United Kingdom? Of course it would you pillock it was to prevent such a situation arising that Great Britain signed the 1839 Treaty of London guaranteeing Belgian neutrality and sovereignty.

As you have often stated you know nothing about the Great War, it therefore seems rather ridiculous that you constantly argue against the most informed minds of the period regarding their reading of the problems that faced them - you then claim to witter on about "humanity" but seem to be very selective as to the perspective you view it from.

"no justification of war is suitable" - taking the history of the world into account - just how f**kin stupid can you get - where do you live Gnome, Camberwick Green or Trumpton? You are free today to spout whatever you like because a great many took the view that fighting and winning a war was justified as the price to be paid for not fighting it was far too high a price to pay.