Today -100: June 7, 1917: Of Alsace-Lorraine and socialist congresses

The French Chamber of Deputies’ insistence that peace terms must include the restoration of Alsace-Lorraine (and indemnities) is pissing off German socialists, who want peace but also want to retain the provinces, which are German and have always been German, according to Germans with either relatively short memories or relatively long memories.

In Iowa, several men from Alsace-Lorraine registered for the draft, but will be exempt because the US considers them German, even though they think of themselves as French (the US insists this is not taking a position on who owns the provinces, just what their status was at the start of the war).

The Petrograd Workers’ and Soldiers’ Soviet will summon an international socialist congress in Stockholm next month. They think peace would more likely come from talks with other representatives of the proletariat than between nation-states.

Don't see comments? Click on the post title to view or post comments.