| Description | This paper forms Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's response to the ideas of Prussian general and military historian Friedrich von Bernhardi (1849-1930). Bernhardi's published works, particularly his book 'Germany and the Next War' published in 1911, advocated aggressive warfare and the disregard of treaties. This conflicted with many of the Christian and pacifist views which Taylor Cadbury supported through her Quakerism and international peace work.
Taylor Cadbury dismisses Bernhardi's simplistic interpretation of warfare, emphasising the 'unimaginable misery' and brutality of military aggression with reference to the German invasion of Antwerp in 1914. She argues for a 'change of heart' based on 'new ideals' and opposes war as 'ignominious and brutal'. Taylor Cadbury emphasises the importance of the Christian Church in spreading a message of peace and unity, referring to the 'world-wide Kingdom of God' which required all nations with 'their racial differences and historical individualities' to come together 'in a deeper unity in God'.
Although this typescript does not form part of Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury's address about Belgium during the First World War, her remarks concerning Germany's military aggression towards neutral Belgium in 1914 relate closely to this address. |