For an English translation of this poem, see “We and the World” in the Fatherland (1914), included in this archive.

In the Franco–Russian defensive alliance established in 1892, both countries promised full military support if the other were attacked by Germany or Austria. Germany declared war on Russia on August 1 and on France on August 3, 1914.

For a discussion of the alliance system at the outbreak of war, see Kronenbitter, Günther. “Alliance System 1914.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published August 15, 2019. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/alliance_system_1914.

A republic in the Balkans, Montenegro declared war on Germany on August 8, 1914. Portugal officially remained neutral until Germany declared war against it on March 9, 1916, though German colonial troops attacked Portuguese garrisons in southern Angola and northern Mozambique as early as August 1914.

For a discussion of Montenegro’s entry into the war, see Raspopović, Radoslav. “Montenegro.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published October 9, 2014. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/montenegro

See also Rollo, Maria Fernanda, Ana Paula Piris, and Filipe Ribeiro de Meneses. “Portugal.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published August 30, 2017. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/portugal

Nearly half a million indigenous soldiers from West and North Africa fought in Europe for France, including West African Tirailleurs Sénégalais as well as Algerians, Tunisians, Moroccans, Malagasies, and Somalis. Turcos were Algerians who fought for the French, mainly on the Western front.

Koller, Christian. “Colonial Military Participation in Europe (Africa).” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published October 8, 2014. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/colonial_military_participation_in_europe_africa.

Fogarty, Richard, and Andrew Tait Jarboe. “Non-European Soldiers.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published April 29, 2021. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/non-european_soldiers.

The female personification of Britain, depicted wearing a helmet and holding a shield and trident, symbolizes Britain as an imperial or sea power.

“Britannia, n.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2021. https://www-oed-com.www2.lib.ku.edu/view/Entry/23451?redirectedFrom=britannia.

Racial slurs denoting African, Indian, and Asian indigenous soldiers. About 2.2 million colonial subjects from British India and French colonies in Asia and Africa fought in the war in Europe and in the Middle East. The British Empire recruited 1.5 million Indian men for the British Indian army.

Das, Santanu. “The Indian sepoy in the First World War.” British Library, World War One, February 6, 2014. https://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/the-indian-sepoy-in-the-first-world-war.

———. “Experiences of Colonial Troops.” British Library, World War One, January 29, 2014. https://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/colonial-troops.

Neutral Belgium was forced into the war when Germany issued an ultimatum to allow German troops heading for France right of passage. Belgium refused, and on August 3, Germany invaded with overwhelming weaponry. Half of the 26,000 Belgian military killed during the war were killed from early August to early November, 1914. Sophie De Schaepdrijver discusses “explosions of virulent paranoia” and massacres that civilians experienced during the same months.

De Schaepdrijver, Sophie. “Belgium.” In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published July 18, 2018. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/belgium.

As Nicolas Beaupré points out, the German advance in the first months of the war split France into three parts: the front, occupied France, and the behind-the-lines France. August and September 1914 were some of the deadliest in the war for the French military and civilians.

For a discussion of the “catastrophic battles” France experienced at the start of the war, see Beaupré, Nicolas: “France.” Translated by Jocelyne Serveau. In 1914–1918–online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson. Freie Universität Berlin, 2014–. Article published October 8, 2014. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/france.