Rumors of the Great War: The British Press and Anglo-German Relations during the July Crisis

by Nathan N. Orgill

Overview

This study examines the role of British newspapers during the July Crisis of 1914. The author argues that decision-makers in Berlin and London framed their policies on a reading of the British press, which expressed deep skepticism about involvement in a general European war after the Sarajevo murders. British newspapers and journalists encouraged German hopes for British neutrality, as well as the indecisive nature of Sir Edward Grey's foreign policy in 1914, helping spark the Great War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498559737
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/02/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	282
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Nathan N. Orgill is associate professor of history at Georgia Gwinnett College.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: “Aura Popularis”: Press Policy and Anglo-German Relations before 1914

Chapter 2: An Austrian Affair: The British Press and the Sarajevo Murders (28 June-23 July 1914)

Chapter 3: The Great European War: The British Press and the July Crisis (23 July-2 August 1914)

Chapter 4: Many Shades of Grey: The British Press and the Question of Intervention (28 July-5 August 1914)

Editorial Reviews

In Rumors of the Great War: The British Press and Anglo-German Relations During the July Crisis, Nathan N. Orgill makes an important new contribution to debates about the origins of the First World War by examining the role of the British press. Orgill demonstrates that the British press contributed both to the indecisiveness of Sir Edward Grey’s foreign policy in July 1914 and to German hopes and beliefs that Britain would remain neutral in a European war, factors which many scholars argue were key causes of the war. This study is indispensable reading for all serious students of the July Crisis.

Jack S. Levy

Nathan Orgill has made an important contribution to our understanding of the July crisis. In particular, his analysis of the reciprocal effects of press debate in London and diplomatic calculation in Berlin through newspaper accounts, diplomatic archives, and the personal papers of journalists provides a model for other scholars working on the relationship between public opinion and foreign policy.

Michigan War Studies Review

Orgill is to be congratulated for providing us with the most comprehensive study available of the role of public opinion in the July Crisis. His careful analysis of journalism and the role of journalists provides fresh insights into the political culture of Europe in 1914.

Gordon Martel

[T]he key element in Orgill’s work is his closely argued investigation of the impact the press had on feeding doubts among Liberal cabinet ministers about the wisdom of going to war.. . .[I]t is remarkable that Orgill could write such a detailed study of an under-researched element in the July Crisis, showing that, even on a subject that has generated countless works over the last century, it is indeed possible to say something new.

Journal of British Studies

Orgill writes an engaging and nuanced analysis of British liberal and conservative press coverage during the July Crisis that will be valuable for students and scholars in the field since it fills some of the gaps in the existing historiography. Orgill reminds readers that it was ultimately the politicians that were the ones to declare war against the Central Powers rather than the press, but there was some degree of interaction between the two groups that allowed editors and journalists to influence political perspectives. Rumors of the Great War highlights the importance of newspapers in influencing politicians and masterfully unravels how the Germans and Austrians attempted to use the press as a tool to advance their agendas during the tense days of the July Crisis. It is a must-read for those interested in the British press on the eve of WWI.

H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online

This is a deeply researched, fluently written, and carefully argued study of the British press's role in the build-up to the First World War. Orgill offers important new perspectives on the unfolding European crisis in 1914, and this book will be of value not just to students and scholars of British journalism or the Great War, but for all those interested in the relationships between media, public opinion, and diplomacy.

Adrian Bingham