Skip to content
Lecture

William Tyler
The Origins of WWI

Monday 7.02.2022

Summary

William Tyler explores the multitude of forces that came together to launch the global community into its first worldwide war.

William Tyler

An image of William Tyler

William Tyler has spent his entire professional life in adult education, beginning at Kingsgate College in 1969. He has lectured widely for many public bodies, including the University of Cambridge and the WEA, in addition to speaking to many clubs and societies. In 2009, William was awarded the MBE for services to adult education, and he has previously been a scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre.

Unfortunately, I do. And the domino effect would then take place in the north against the Baltic states and then potentially Poland. And it all smacks to me of the Rhineland in the 1930s, when France and Britain did not stand up to Hitler. We sometimes over-egg about why we didn’t stand up to Hitler, but I think there are too many, there’s too many contacts here, too many similar things happening that makes me nervous. I’m nervous about it. Let me put it that way. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Because the propaganda pushed them into it. The propaganda in Britain, thanks to the Daily Mail, amongst other newspapers, told the British, “Poor little Belgium, we must fight for Belgium.” Many Belgian refugees landed up right across Britain in quite small country towns, there were lots of Belgians. And so there was a tremendous outpouring. But it wasn’t the reason, but the government could use it as a reason.

Let me ask you the question back, David, is it going to prevent the Ukraine, Russia invading Ukraine, has it in any way contained China’s action against Uyghurs, against Hong Kong, and against Taiwan?