A German "Attack."
He [Cambon] anticipated that the [German] aggression would take the form
of either a demand to cease her preparations or a demand that she should
engage to remain neutral if there was war between Germany and Russia.
Neither of these things would France admit.--(British "White Paper" No.
105.)
Therefore, even the demand addressed to France not to, jointly with
Russia, attack Germany became a German "attack," which obliged England
to come to the aid!
In spite of this, even on July 27 in a conversation with Cambon, Grey
gave himself the appearance as if his hands were free. He told the
Frenchman:
If Germany became involved and France became involved we had not
made up our minds what we should do; it was a case that we should
have to consider.... We were free from engagements and we should
have to decide what British interests required us to do.--(British
"White Paper" No. 87.)
M. Cambon remarked in reply that the Secretary of State had clearly
pictured the situation, but on the very following day the French
Ambassador took the liberty to remind Grey of the letter written in
1912. (British "White Paper" No. 105.)
Grey did not deny the claim implied in this reminder, but even as late
as July 31 he reports as follows concerning the conversation with
Cambon:
Up to the present moment we did not feel and public opinion
did not feel that any treaties or obligations of this country were
involved.
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