Hidden Perspective - The Military Conversations 1906-1914

1905: Foreign Minister Edward Grey enters secret talks with France about sending British forces to their aid in the event of German attack. The details were only revealed to the Cabinet and Prime Minister in 1911, by which point the 'hidden perspective' was firmly entrenched. Owen argues that the outbreak of war in 1914 was far from inevitable.

About the author

David Owen has served as a member of Parliament, minister for the Navy, health minister, and foreign secretary. He is now an Independent Social Democrat in the House of Lords.

Summary

In 1905, British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey agreed to speak secretly with his French counterparts about sending a British expeditionary force to France in the event of a German attack. Neither Parliament nor the rest of the Cabinet was informed. The Hidden Perspective takes readers back to these tense years leading up to World War I and re-creates the stormy Cabinet meetings in the fall of 1911 when the details of the military conversations were finally revealed.

Using contemporary historical documents, David Owen, himself a former foreign secretary, shows how the foreign office’s underlying belief in Britain’s moral obligation to send troops to the Continent influenced political decision-making and helped create the impression that war was inevitable. Had Britain’s diplomatic and naval strategy been handled more skillfully during these years, Owen contends, the carnage of World War I might have been prevented altogether.

Product details

• Authors: David Owen
• Publisher: Haus Publishing
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.01.2015
• EAN: 9781908323989
• ISBN: 978-1-908323-98-9
• No. of pages: 283
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 215 mm x 24 mm
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; European History, First World War, HISTORY / Europe / General, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, c 1914 to c 1918 (including WW1), C 1900 - C 1914, c 1900 to c 1909, c 1914 to c 1918 (World War One period), HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War I