NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF 1ST AUGUST 1914

Grey's proposals to Lichnowsky on 1st August 1914 were called a 'misunderstanding' by King George V in a telegram to Kaiser Wilhelm II in the evening of 1st August 1914.

WTF?!

A 'misunderstanding'?!

Germany had issued a 24 hour ultimatum to Russia the previous day and therefore could declare war on Russia on 1st August, but, here is the crucial fact, had not yet done so.

So in the morning of 1st August Grey makes 2 proposals to Germany:
1. if Germany didn't attack France then both France and Great Britain would remain neutral (France had not been consulted on this);
2. 3 hours later Grey proposed that Great Britain would remain neutral even if Germany did declare war on France!!!

WTF was Grey doing?

And yet King George V claimed this was a 'misunderstanding'?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

For further details of times and telegrams etc., and an attempt to whitewash this trick by Great Britain into giving Germany the impression that Great Britain would remain neutral so that Germany would declare war on Russia, which would leave France no alternative but to prepare for war and thus provoke Germany into invading Belgium (as Grey learned would happen in the afternoon of 1st August), see UNDERSTANDING THE 'MISUNDERSTANDING' OF 1 AUGUST 1914 by K M Wilson.

Yo! Grey! If you can hear us in Hell...!