1914​—Afi Ni Ha Je Lɛ He Jɔ̃ Ehe Lɛ

“Ta kpeteŋkpele ni awuu yɛ 1914-18 lɛ ka shi tamɔ shikpɔŋ ko ni eshã ni ka nakai be lɛ kɛ wɔbe nɛɛ teŋ. Akɛni ekpata mɛi babaoo awala hiɛ . . . , ni ekpata hemɔkɛyelii ahiɛ, etsake susumɔi, ni eshi pilamɔi ni anyɛŋ atsa, ni ji nijiaŋwujee hewɔ lɛ, eshi jɔɔ voo ko yɛ bei titrii enyɔ lɛ ateŋ yɛ shihilɛ diɛŋtsɛ kɛ jwɛŋmɔ mli fɛɛ.”​—Ejɛ The Proud Tower​—A Portrait of the World Before the War 1890-1914, ni Barbara Tuchman ŋma lɛ mli.

“Eshwɛ fioo ni eeefee yinɔsane fa​—shi efeko kɛmɔko shi​—ejaakɛ, mɛi ni beni nɛkɛ afii ohai nyɔŋmai enyɔ ni sa kadimɔ waa nɛɛ jeɔ shishi lɛ, no mli lɛ amɛdarako lɛ ateŋ mɛi akpei abɔ yɛ wala mli lolo.”​—Ejɛ wolo 1914, ni Lyn MacDonald ŋma yɛ 1987 lɛ mli.

MƐNI hewɔ esa akɛ osusu afi 1914 he? Ekolɛ obaakɛɛ akɛ, ‘Wɔsɛɛ be ji nɔ ni kɔɔ mihe, jeee be ni eho etee.’ Akɛni naagbai tamɔ jeŋ muu fɛɛ mujiwoo, weku shihilɛ ni miiya nɔ eefite kwraa, efɔŋfeemɔ ni efa babaoo, jwɛŋmɔŋ helai, kɛ nitsumɔ ni anaaa atsu yɛ hewɔ lɛ, ekolɛ adesa wɔsɛɛ be baafee nɔ ni hiɛnɔkamɔ ko bɛ mli. Shi, mɛi ni epɛi bɔ ni afi 1914 he hiaa ha lɛ mli lɛ ena nɔdaamɔ nɔ kɛha hiɛnɔkamɔ yɛ wɔsɛɛ be kpakpa mli.

Afii nyɔŋmai abɔ nɛ ni Buu-Mɔɔ lɛ egbala mli jogbaŋŋ akɛ, adesai na nɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ akɛ “kɔɔmɔi lɛ abɔimɔ” lɛ yɛ 1914. Nakai wiemɔ lɛ fata Yesu Kristo gbalɛ kpeteŋkpele ni kɔɔ nibii ni baaba, ni baatsɔ adesai ayiwalɛ nibii agbɛjianɔtoo lɛ naagbee hiɛ lɛ he lɛ he.​—Matee 24:​7, 8.

Ŋmɛnɛ, adesai ateŋ mɛi fioo ko baanyɛ akai nibii ni sa kadimɔ waa ni ba yɛ 1914 lɛ lolo. Ani nakai yinɔ ni amɛdara yɛ afii amli lɛ baaho dani Nyɔŋmɔ baahere shikpɔŋ lɛ kɛjɛ fitemɔ mli? Jeee yɛ bɔ ni Biblia gbalɛ tsɔɔ lɛ naa. Yesu wo shi akɛ: “Beni nyɛaana nii nɛɛ fɛɛ lɛ, nyɛlea akɛ eshɛ agboi lɛ anaa eta. Lɛlɛŋ, miikɛɛ nyɛ akɛ: Nɛkɛ yinɔ nɛɛ hoŋ, ja nii nɛɛ fɛɛ eba mli da.”​—Mateo 24:​33, 34.

Kɛji obaanu nɔ hewɔ ni nii 1914 he hiaa waa yɛ yinɔsane mli nakai lɛ shishi lɛ, no lɛ susumɔ bɔ ni je lɛ shikamɔ ji aahu kɛbashi 1914 teŋ gbɛ lɛ he okwɛ. Dani nakai be lɛ aaashɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ maŋtsɛmɛi tamɔ Czar Nicholas ni ye nɔ yɛ Russia, Kaisare Wilhelm ni ye nɔ yɛ Germany, kɛ Maŋtsɛ Franz Josef ni ye nɔ yɛ Austria-Hungary lɛ ye nɔ kɛ hewalɛ kpele diɛŋtsɛ. Nɛkɛ hii nɛɛ ateŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ nyɛ ebua hii tabilɔi ni fa fe akpekpei ejwɛ naa ni amɛha amɛyawuu ta. Shi amɛblematsɛmɛi lɛ etsɔ hiɛ amɛkɛ amɛniji ewo wolo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Kpaŋmɔ Krɔŋkrɔŋ lɛ shishi, kɛmiijaje akɛ Nyɔŋmɔ ehala amɛ koni amɛye “Kristofoi amaŋ” kpeteŋkpele kome lɛ fai sɔrɔtoi lɛ anɔ.

Taakɛ The Encyclopaedia Britannica lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ, nɛkɛ wolo nɛɛ “sa Europa maji ateŋ saji ahe yɛ gbɛ ni mli wa nɔ yɛ afii ohai 19 lɛ mli.” Akɛtsu nii ni akɛte shi awo demokrase kui ni atse lɛ ni akɛfi nɔ ni atsɛ lɛ akɛ hegbɛ ni Nyɔŋmɔ kɛha maŋtsɛmɛi akɛ amɛye nɔ lɛ sɛɛ. Kaisare Wilhelm ŋma wolo eyaha Czar Nicholas akɛ: “Wɔ Kristofoi Maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ, wɔ fɛɛ wɔyɛ gbɛnaa nitsumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ kome, ni Ŋwɛi kɛfɔ wɔnɔ, ni no ji akɛ, ni wɔhiɛ shishitoo mla ni ji [hegbɛ ni Nyɔŋmɔ kɛha maŋtsɛmɛi akɛ amɛye nɔ] lɛ mli ni awa.” Ani enɛ tsɔɔ akɛ Europa maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ kɛ Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ yɛ tsakpaa ko yɛ gbɛ ko nɔ? (Okɛto 1 Korintobii 4:8 he.) Ni sɔlemɔi ni fi nakai maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ asɛɛ lɛ hu? Ani Kristofoi ni amɛtsɛɔ amɛhe lɛ ji anɔkwale? Nɛkɛ sanebimɔi nɛɛ ahetooi bafee faŋŋ yɛ afii ni nyiɛ 1914 sɛɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ amli.

Trukaa, yɛ August Mli

“Nɔ ni kadi afi 1914 agbiɛnaa kɛ latsaa be yɛ Europa ji toiŋjɔlɛ be ko ni esoro lɛ kwraa,” nɛkɛ Britania maŋsɔɔlɔ Winston Churchill ŋma. No mli lɛ gbɔmɛi lɛ miikpa wɔsɛɛ be gbɛ kɛ hiɛnɔkamɔ kpakpa. Louis Snyder wie yɛ ewolo World War mli akɛ: “No mli lɛ 1914 je lɛ eyi obɔ kɛ hiɛnɔkamɔ kɛ shiwoo.”

Lɛlɛŋ, no mli lɛ afii babaoo eho ni akaŋshii ni mli wa ka Germany kɛ Britania teŋ. Shi yɛ enɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, taakɛ yinɔsaneŋmalɔ G. P. Gooch tsɔɔ mli yɛ ewolo Under Six Reigns lɛ mli lɛ: “Etamɔɔɔ nɔ ni Europa naataomɔ ko baanyɛ aba yɛ 1914 mli tamɔ bɔ ni eji yɛ 1911, 1912 loo 1913 lɛ . . . Wekukpaa ni ka maŋ nɔyelii enyɔ lɛ ateŋ lɛ hi kwraa fe bɔ ni eji afii babaoo ni eho.” Taakɛ Winston Churchill, ni eji Britania 1914 ajinafoi akuu lɛ mli nyo lɛ kɛɛ lɛ: “Etamɔ nɔ ni Germany etswa efai shi akɛ ekɛ wɔ baahi toiŋjɔlɛ wekukpaa mli.”

Shi, beni agbe Austria-Hungary Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ nɔ maŋtsɛbi ni baaye maŋtsɛ wɔsɛɛ lɛ yɛ Sarajevo, yɛ June 28, 1914, pɛ kɛkɛ ni haomɔi bɔi baa. No sɛɛ nyɔŋ kome lɛ, Maŋtsɛ Franz Josef fa Serbia nɔ ta ni efa esraafoi ni amɛyatutua nakai maŋtsɛyeli lɛ. Yɛ nɛkɛ be nɛɛ nɔŋŋ mli, yɛ gbi gbɛkɛ ni je baatsɛre kɛha August 3, 1914 lɛ, trukaa kɛkɛ ni German asraafoi babaoo yatutua Belguim maŋtsɛyeli lɛ, yɛ Kaisare Wilhelm famɔ naa, ni ewuu ta lɛ kɛbɔi France ninamɔ. Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, Britania hu fa Germany nɔ ta. Yɛ Czar Nicholas gbɛfaŋ lɛ, efa ni abua Russia ta kpeteŋkpele lɛ naa koni amɛkɛ Germany kɛ Austria-Hungary awuu. Kpaŋmɔ Krɔŋkrɔŋ lɛ nyɛɛɛ atsi Europa maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ anaa koni amɛkɛ nakai shikpɔŋ wulu lɛ akawo gbɔmɛi agbee kɛ lashishwiemɔ babaoo nɛɛ mli. Shi kpaako nibii ni baaha mɔ he ajɔ̃ ehe fe nɛkɛ lɛ po baaba.

Ani Beni Blonya Baashɛ lɛ, Esɛɛ Efo?

Ta ni fɛ lɛ haaa hiɛnɔkamɔ kpakpa ni gbɔmɛi lɛ kɛkpaa wɔsɛɛ be gbɛ lɛ sɛɛ afo. Mɛi pii he amɛye akɛ ebaaha je lɛŋ shihilɛ ahi fe tsutsu lɛ, ni mɛi babaoo bua amɛhe naa yɛ Europa fɛɛ ni amɛkɛtsɔɔ bɔ ni amɛfiɔ sɛɛ amɛhaa. A. J. P. Taylor ŋma yɛ ewolo The Struggle for Mastery in Europe​—1848-1918 lɛ mli akɛ: “Mɔ ko kwraa bɛ yɛ 1914 mli ni ebu ta he osharai lɛ akɛ hiɛdɔɔ sane, ja bɔ ni ekɔɔ asraafoi ahe ehaa lɛ gbɛfaŋ pɛ. . . . Mɔ ko mɔ ko kpaaa shihilɛ mli amanehulu ko gbɛ.” Yɛ no najiaŋ moŋ lɛ, mɛi babaoo gba akɛ ta lɛ sɛɛ baafo yɛ nyɔji fioo komɛi asɛɛ.

Shi, be kplaŋŋ dani Europabii baaye amɛ Blonya kɛha afi 1914 lɛ, no mli nɔŋŋ ni naataomɔ ko kɛ emli lashishwiemɔ je shishi yɛ bui ni atsara kɛtsara nɔ fe kilomitai 700, kɛjɛ Switzerland yɛ wuoyigbɛ aahu kɛtee Belguim ŋshɔ lɛ naa yɛ kooyigbɛ lɛ amli. Abatsɛ lɛ akɛ Anaigbɛ Tawuu Hé lɛ, ni Germannyo woloŋmalɔ Herbert Sulzbach tsi ta yɛ nibii ni eŋmala ewo ewolo ni eŋmaa gbi fɛɛ gbi mli sane ewoɔ mli lɛ mli, kɛfata nibii ni eŋmala yɛ 1914 naagbee gbi lɛ nɔ lɛ he. Nɔ ni eŋma lɛ kaneɔ akɛ: “Nɛkɛ ta ni yɔɔ gbeyei nɛɛ miiya nɔ, ni ekolɛ mɔ ko baasusu yɛ eshishijee mli akɛ esɛɛ baafo yɛ otsii fioo komɛi asɛɛ, shi amrɔ nɛɛ nɔ ko bɛ ni tsɔɔ akɛ enaagbee ebɛŋkɛ.” Yɛ nɛkɛ be nɛɛ mli lɛ, aawuu ta kɛmiishwie la shi babaoo yɛ Europa hei krokomɛi, yɛ Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, kɛ Serbia asraafoi ateŋ. Etsɛɛɛ kɛkɛ ni nɔmɔ lɛ gbɛ kɛteke Europa, ni awuu tai yɛ ŋshɔi lɛ ahiɛ kɛ Afrika. Boka Teŋgbɛ, kɛ Pasifik ŋshɔkpɔi lɛ anɔ fɛɛ.

Afii ejwɛ sɛɛ lɛ Europa bafee butuu kwraa. Germany, Russia, kɛ Austria-Hungary maji lɛ ateŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ laaje esraafoi aaafee akpei akpe kome kɛmiishɛ akpekpei enyɔ. No mli lɛ Russia maŋtsɛyeli gbɛjianɔtoo lɛ ebutu momo yɛ Bolshevik maŋ hiɛ tsakemɔ ni ba yɛ 1917 lɛ mli. Mɛɛ hejɔ̃mɔ sane ebafee kɛha Europa maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ kɛ amɛsɛɛfilɔi osɔfoi lɛ nɛkɛ! Efeɔ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ yinɔsaneŋmalɔi nuukpɛɛ lolo. Gordon Brook-Shepherd bi sane yɛ ewolo Royal Sunset lɛ mli ekɛ: “Te ebalɛ tɛŋŋ ni nɔyelɔi, ni wekumɛi diɛŋtsɛ ji amɛ yɛ fɔmɔ naa loo yɛ gbalashihilɛ mli, ni amɛ fɛɛ amɛtuu amɛhe amɛha maŋtsɛyeli yibaamɔ lɛ ŋmɛɛ amɛhe ni amɛshwie kɛyabote nyɛmimɛi ahegbee kɛ lashishwiemɔ ni kpata amɛteŋ mɛi pii ahiɛ kɛjɛ shihilɛ mli, ni eshi mɛi ni je mli ni amɛyi ná wala lɛ ni amɛgbɔjɔ nɛkɛ hu?”

France maŋ nɔyeli lɛ hu laaje asraafoi fe akpei akpe kome, ni Britania Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ, ni no mli lɛ emaŋtsɛyeli gbɛjianɔtoo lɛ egbɔjɔ be saŋŋ dani ta lɛ je shishilɛ laaje asraafoi fe 900,000. Yɛ fɛɛ mli lɛ, asraafoi fe akpekpei 9 gboi, ni apila akpekpei 21 krokomɛi afata he. The World Book Encyclopedia lɛ wie mɛi ni jeee asraafoi ni amɛhiɛ kpata lɛ ahe akɛ: “Mɔ ko mɔ ko leee maŋbii foji ni gboi yɛ helai, hɔmɔ, kɛ nibii krokomɛi ni baa yɛ tawuu sɛɛ lɛ ahewɔ lɛ ayifalɛ. Yinɔsaneŋmalɔi komɛi heɔ yeɔ akɛ maŋbii foji ni gboi lɛ ayifalɛ tamɔ asraafoi ayifalɛ lɛ nɔŋŋ.” Spanish fulu tsɛŋemɔ hela ni ba yɛ 1918 mli lɛ hu kpata mɛi 21,000,000 krokomɛi awala hiɛ yɛ shikpɔŋ lɛ fɛɛ nɔ.

Tsakemɔ Kpele Ko

Je lɛ ehiii shi yɛ Ta Kpeteŋkpele, taakɛ atsɛ lɛ yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ sɛɛ tamɔ bɔ ni eji tsutsu lɛ dɔŋŋ. Akɛni Kristendom sɔlemɔi lɛ babaoo kɛ amɛhe wo mli waa diɛŋtsɛ kɛ ekaa hewɔ lɛ, mɛi ni yi na wala yɛ tu lɛ mli ni amɛyiŋ efutu amɛ lɛ tsɔ amɛsɛɛ amɛha Nyɔŋmɔ jamɔ ni amɛyafi mɛi ni kɛɔ akɛ Nyɔŋmɔ bɛ lɛ asɛɛ. Mɛi krokomɛi hu tsɔ amɛhe kɛtee heloonaa ninumɔ kɛ miishɛɛnamɔ be. Yɛ bɔ ni Nilelɔ Modris Eksteins tsɔɔ mli yɛ ewolo Rites of Spring lɛ mli lɛ, 1920 afii lɛ “amli ajie miishɛɛnamɔ sɛɛdii kɛ bɔlɛnamɔ he suɔmɔ ni ayɔɔ lɛ kpo babaoo fe bei fɛɛ ni eho.”

Nilelɔ Eksteins tsɔɔ mli akɛ: “Ta lɛ kpata jeŋba kpakpa he tɛi ni afolɔ ashwie shi lɛ fɛɛ hiɛ.” Jamɔ, asraafoi, kɛ maŋkwramɔŋ hiɛnyiɛlɔi etsɔɔ hii ni yɔɔ fai enyɔ ni wuuɔ ta lɛ mli lɛ fɛɛ akɛ mɛi babaoo ahiɛkpatamɔ hi yɛ jeŋba gbɛfaŋ. Eksteins kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ, enɛ “bafee jeŋba he gbɛjianɔtoo ni akɛɛ eshishifa jɛ Yuda jamɔ kɛ Kristo jamɔ mli mlai amli lɛ tutuamɔ ni ma wa fe fɛɛ.” Ekɛfata he akɛ: “Etsɛɛɛ kɛkɛ ni ajwamaŋbɔlɔi ashihilɛ hei batsɔmɔ asraafoi ashihilɛ hei lɛ fa ni fata amɛhe be fɛɛ be yɛ Anaigbɛ Tawuu hé lɛ . . . Yɛ maŋbii lɛ hu ateŋ lɛ, yei kɛ hii fɛɛ kɛ amɛhe wo jeŋba shara mli babaoo. Ahoshwibɔɔ tee nɔ waa fe nine.”

Lɛlɛŋ, 1914 tsake nibii babaoo. Etsakeko je lɛ ni eeefee lɛ ekpakpa, ni ta lɛ eyafeee “ta ni kɛ tai krokomɛi fɛɛ baaba naagbee,” tamɔ bɔ ni mɛi pii kɛ amɛhiɛ yafɔ nɔ lɛ. Shi moŋ, taakɛ yinɔsaneŋmalɔ Barbara Tuchman tsɔɔ mli lɛ: “Fiofio kɛkɛ ni susumɔi wuji kɛ ekaa ni ayɔɔ yɛ nibii kpakpai ni baanyɛ aba kɛbashi 1914 mli lɛ bɔi miimɔ kɛyashi eyisɛɛ laaje kwraa yɛ yiŋfutumɔ kpele ni ba lɛ mli.”

Shi, mɛi ni na 1914 amanehulu lɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi ahe jɔ̃ɔɔ amɛhe yɛ nibii ni ba yɛ nakai afi lɛ mli lɛ he. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, dani ta lɛ aaafɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ amɛmiikpa “haomɔ be ko ni yɔɔ gbeyei” gbɛ momo. Namɛi ni? Ni mɛni amɛle ni mɛi krokomɛi leee?

[Akrabatsa ni yɔɔ baafa 5]

Britania Gbɛkpamɔ Kpakpa yɛ 1914

“Nɔ ni miihe ashɛ afii oha sɔŋŋ nɛ ni henyɛlɔ ko nyɛko ekɛ elɛlɛ anyiɛ ŋshɔ ni ebɔle wɔ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ he lɛ nɔ. . . . Ebawa po kɛha wɔ akɛ wɔɔsusu nyɛmɔ ni eeenyɛ eba akɛ mɔ ko baawo nɛkɛ toiŋjɔlɛ ŋshɔnaa héi nɛɛ ahe gbeyei lɛ he. . . . London efeko fɛo ni eeena nii babaoo hu tamɔ nɛkɛ da. Be ko bako ni nibii ni sa feemɔ, kɛ kwɛmɔ, kɛ toiboo efa babaoo tamɔ nɛkɛ. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, ebaaa onukpai kɛ gbekɛbii fɛɛ ajwɛŋmɔ mli kɔkɔɔkɔ akɛ nɔ ni amɛnaa, yɛ nakai 1914 be ni anyɛŋ akɛ be ko ato he lɛ mli lɛ ji yinɔ ko naagbee.”​—Before the Lamps Went Out, ni Geoffrey Marcus ŋma lɛ.