Thus the Belgian Baron Beyens reported to Brussels
from Berlin on August 1st:
“About 6 p.m. [should rather be 5.—K.] no answer had arrived from St. Petersburg to the Ultimatum of the Imperial Government. Herren von Jagow and Zimmermann went to the Chancellor and to the Kaiser to get the order for general mobilization held back to-day. But they met the unswerving resistance of the War Minister and the heads of the Army, who laid before the Kaiser the ruinous consequences of a delay of twenty-four hours. The order was at once given.”
In striking contrast to these reports is the version given by Tirpitz in his “Memoirs.” According to him, Bethmann-Hollweg, on the last day, had appealed most vigorously for mobilization and, in opposition to Moltke, had insisted that a declaration of war at once take place on the mobilization.
These contradictions still require explanation. But one thing is certain: the perplexity in Government circles, which began on July 29th, rapidly increased from day to day. And so did the antagonisms among themselves! Bethmann was no longer master of the spirits he had summoned. He did not himself know how right he was when he said in the Prussian Ministerial Council of July 30th: “Control is lost and the stone is set rolling.”
