Gavrilo Princip: Ultimate Scapegoat?
Sel Appa
12-01-2006, 00:59
Think about it: The bullets he shot started a world war that Germany lost, Germany had to pay reparations which inflated their currency and helped cause a worldwide depression, Hitler came to power to return German honor, he instituted the Holocaust which meant Jews needed a homeland, (A) and got one which meant Arabs wouldn't be happy, America supports Israel and gets 9/11, leading to an Afghan and Iraq war, leading to bombings in Madrid and London.
Also you can take the Ottoman route: The Ottomans lost the war and their land was split up amongst Britain and France which carved it in horrible ways which caused huge ethnic and religious tensions,...(see A)
Stupid Serbs
New Granada
12-01-2006, 01:23
Its not so much that he's a scapegoat, its more that he is directly, personally responsible.
His pistol shot basically started a war that didnt end until the berlin wall fell.
World war I (like all wars) was bound to happen whether or not Franz got shot up. When you say something like 'The war started because of this event' its almost always a shortsighted, incomplete and insignificant explanation. An event like the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (by Gavrilo) is just a spark. It doesn't change the fact that there are bucket of gasoline and lighters lying around everywhere.
No, gavrilo is not to blame
Neu Leonstein
12-01-2006, 01:35
...[Hitler] instituted the Holocaust which meant Jews needed a homeland...
Well, modern Jews would probably disagree with you. While I agree that much of the support the Jews got after WWII (which wasn't all that much objectively seen) was due to the Holocaust, for the most part the creation of Israel was due to the Jews fighting for it, and Britain just having had enough of the whole mess.
But what is your point? Princip did it, and yet usually no one blames him for all that happened, so he's not really a scapegoat in the normal sense of the world.
If there was a scapegoat, it was Germany after WWI.
Ancient British Glory
12-01-2006, 01:45
Sorry but as a history student, I feel obliged to point out that the actions of any singular individual are neglible. Individuals are merely puppets of history - our actions are dictated to us by context rather than by any individual impulse. Princip's actions simply gave Austria and Germany an excuse to do what they had long been wanting to do - wage a war of imperialist expansion against their dominant rivals, allies of Entente. At the same time, the allies of the Entente were able to take a course to restict germanic ambitions.
Sorry but as a history student, I feel obliged to point out that the actions of any singular individual are neglible. Individuals are merely puppets of history - our actions are dictated to us by context rather than by any individual impulse. Princip's actions simply gave Austria and Germany an excuse to do what they had long been wanting to do - wage a war of imperialist expansion against their dominant rivals, allies of Entente. At the same time, the allies of the Entente were able to take a course to restict germanic ambitions.
I meant to say what he said
Sel Appa
12-01-2006, 01:56
The war might have been completely different if he didn't shoot. Although unlikely, it might have diffused over time if nothing happened.
Gauthier
12-01-2006, 02:05
I have to admit I don't have a good perception of Serbs in history. From Princip all the way to the Balkan Blowout, I've always believed the Serbs got off too light for the mess they inadvertently or directly stirred up. One of my personal jokes is that the only Serbian casualty in history was Monica Seles during a tennis match ("STEFFIIIIII!!!" STAB STAB STAB).