POLI 360 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Military Necessity, Social Darwinism, John Mearsheimer

• School: McGill University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 360
• Professor: T.V.Paul

Document Summary

World war i: so important in hindsight it changed the course of history, represents a war of miscalculation, misperceptions, and illusions leaders carry. Many argue if france had a good defense the war would not have occurred: sociological and social reasons for that, social darwinism. France thought they should also take some offensive initiative: plan 17 completed by april and getting to berlin by crossing the rhine, britain wanted to support belgium but they would not allow. British troops on their territory because neutrality prohibited this: von maltke"s refinements. French strategy: plan 17, land in belgium. British strategy: problems- belgium neutrality, couldn"t put soldiers on belgium territory, deterrence can only happen if there is enough, capability, communication, crediblity, a british force was not ready or able to protect belgium"s neutrality. Germany soldier and only had 1/10 the railroads that. Germany had: created wider gage railway, russia would also attack austria.