Owe-1914—Unyaka Owakhwankqisa Ihlabathi
“IMfazwe Enkulu yowe-1914-18 ihleli njengomda owahlula elo xesha kweli lethu. Ngokutshayela ubomi babantu abaninzi kangako . . . , ngokuphelisa iinkolelo, ngokuguqula iingcamango nangokushiya amanxeba anganyangekiyo okuphelelwa lithemba, iye yadala umsantsa wokoqobo nongokwasengqondweni phakathi kwamaxesha amabini.”—Ngokusuka kwiThe Proud Tower—A Portrait of the World Before the War 1890–1914, nguBarbara Tuchman.
“Phantse ibe—kodwa akukabi njalo ngoku—yinxalenye yembali, kuba amawakawaka abantu ababebatsha ekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane yamashumi amabini eneziganeko ezothusayo basaphila.”—Ngokusuka kwincwadi ethi 1914, nguLyn MacDonald, epapashwe ngowe-1987.
KUTHENI sifanele sibe nomdla kunyaka we-1914? Mhlawumbi uthi: ‘Into endiyixhalabeleyo yeza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo, ingeyiyo edlulileyo.’ Ekubeni kukho iingxaki ezinjengongcoliseko lomhlaba, ukuwohloka kobomi bentsapho, ukwanda kolwaphulo-mthetho, ukugula ngengqondo nokungaqeshwa, ikamva lomntu lisenokubonakala limfiliba. Noko ke, abantu abaninzi abaye bahlola intsingiselo yeziganeko zowe-1914 baye bafumana isiseko sethemba lekamva elilunge ngakumbi.
Kangangamashumi eminyaka IMboniselo iye yachaza ukuba ngowe-1914 uluntu beluthubeleza phantsi koko kubizwa ngokuba ‘kukuqaleka kwenimba.’ Elo binzana liyinxalenye yesiprofeto esikhulu sikaYesu Kristu esingezinto ezaziya kwandulela isiphelo sale nkqubo ingendawo yabantu.—Mateyu 24:7, 8.
Namhlanje, libathwana loluntu elisenako ukuzikhumbula iziganeko eziphawulekayo zowe-1914. Ngaba eso sizukulwana salupheleyo siya kuphela sonke ngaphambi kokuba uThixo asindise umhlaba ekonakalisweni? Akunjalo ngokwesiprofeto seBhayibhile. UYesu wathembisa oku: “Xa nithe nazibona zonke ezo zinto, yazini ukuba kukufuphi, sekusemnyango. Inene ndithi kuni, Asisayi kudlula esi sizukulwana, zingadanga zonke ezo zinto zibekho.”—Mateyu 24:33, 34.
Ukuze usiqonde isizathu sokuba owe-1914 abe ngunyaka obaluleke kangako embalini, qwalasela imeko eyayikho ehlabathini ukuya kuthi ga embindini wowe-1914. Ngaphambi kwelo xesha, abalawuli abanjengoCzar Nicholas waseRashiya, uKaiser Wilhelm waseJamani noMlawuli uFranz Josef waseOstriya naseHungary babenamandla gqitha. Ngamnye wala madoda wayenokuhlanganisa amajoni angaphezu kwezigidi ezine aze awathumele edabini. Kodwa ooyisemkhulu babetyikitye oko kwakubizwa ngokuba sisiVumelwano Esingcwele, bevakalisa ukuba uThixo wayebamisele ukuba balawule imimandla eyahlukeneyo yekuphela ‘kwelizwe elikhulu lobuKristu.’
Ngokutsho kweThe Encyclopædia Britannica, olu xwebhu “lwazichaphazela ngamandla ezothethathethwano phakathi kwamazwe aseYurophu ebudeni benkulungwane ye-19.” Lwalusetyenziselwa ukuchasa amaqela awayefuna ulawulo-melo nokuba kuphakanyiswe oko kwakubizwa ngokuba lilungelo lookumkani elivela kuThixo. UKaiser Wilhelm wabhalela uCzar Nicholas oku: “Thina boKumkani abangamaKristu sinomsebenzi omnye kuphela ongcwele, esiwunikwe uvela eZulwini, okukugcina umgaqo [welungelo lookumkani elivela kuThixo].” Ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba ookumkani baseYurophu babenxulumene ngandlel’ ithile noBukumkani bukaThixo? (Thelekisa eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 4:8.) Yaye kuthekani ngeecawa ezazixhasa abo kumkani? Ngaba ukuzibabaza kwazo njengezizezobuKristu kwakukokokwenene? Impendulo kule mibuzo yacaca gca kwiminyaka eyalandela kanye emva kowe-1914.
Ngequbuliso, NgoAgasti
Isithethi saseburhulumenteni eBritani uWinston Churchill sabhala oku: “Intwasahlobo nehlobo lowe-1914 eYurophu zazizole ngokungaqhelekanga.” Abantu ngokubanzi bebelindele lukhulu kwikamva. ULouis Snyder wathi kwincwadi yakhe ethi World War I: “Ihlabathi lowe-1914 lalithembisa gqitha.”
Enyanisweni, kangangeminyaka emininzi kwakukho ubutshaba phakathi kweJamani neBritani. Sekunjalo, kunjengokuba umbhali-mbali uG. P. Gooch echaza kwincwadi yakhe ethi Under Six Reigns: “Kwakubonakala ngathi akunakubakho lungquzulwano eYurophu ngowe-1914 kunangowe-1911, ngowe-1912 okanye ngowe-1913 . . . Ulwalamano olwaluphakathi kwaba rhulumente babini lwalulunge ngakumbi kunokuba lwalunjalo kangangeminyaka.” Ngokutsho kukaWinston Churchill, owayelilungu lesigqeba saseBritani ngowe-1914: “IJamani yayibonakala ikunye nathi ekuzabalazeleni uxolo.”
Noko ke, xa kwathi eSarajevo kwabulawa inkosana yasebukhosini boLawulo LweOstriya neHungary ngoJuni 28, 1914, kwabonakala lixubayela elundini phayaa. Kwinyanga elandelayo, uMlawuli uFranz Josef wenza isigqibo sokulwa neSerbia waza wayalela imikhosi yakhe ukuba ibuhlasele obo bukumkani. Kwangaxeshanye, ngobusuku bangoAgasti 3, 1914, ngokomyalelo kaKaiser Wilhelm, umkhosi omkhulu waseJamani ngequbuliso wahlasela ubukumkani baseBelgium waza walwa ujolise eFransi. Ngosuku olulandelayo iBritani yaya kulwa neJamani. Kwelakhe icala, uCzar Nicholas wayalela ukuba kuhlanganiswe umkhosi omkhulu waseRashiya ukuze uye kulwa neJamani, iOstriya neHungary. IsiVumelwano Esingcwele sasilela ukunqumamisa ookumkani baseYurophu ekuyekeleni elo lizwekazi ekubeni libe bubutyadidi ligazi lokubulalana kwabantu. Kodwa kwakuseza kulandela izinto ezikhwankqisayo kakhulu.
Ngaba Yoba Iphelile NgeKrismesi?
Ukuqhambuka kwemfazwe akuzange kuluphelise ulindelo lwabantu. Abaninzi babekholelwa ukuba yayiya kuvelisa ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi, yaye izihlwele zahlanganisana kuyo yonke indawo eYurophu ukuze zibonakalise ukuyixhasa kwazo. UA. J. P. Taylor ubhala oku kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Struggle for Mastery in Europe—1848–1918: “Akukho namnye ngowe-1914 owazithabatha nzulu iingozi zemfazwe ngaphandle nje kwenkalo engokwasemkhosini. . . . Akukho namnye owayelindele intlekele ngokwasentlalweni.” Kunokuba kube njalo, abaninzi baxela kwangaphambili ukuba yayiya kuphela kwiinyanga nje ezimbalwa.
Sekunjalo, ithuba elide ngaphambi kokuba abemi baseYurophu babhiyozele iKrismesi yowe-1914, kwakukho ukujongana ngezikhondo zamehlo kwimisele eyayimide kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-700 isuka eSwitzerland iye kuthi xhaxhe ngonxweme lwaseBelgium ngasentla. Oku kwakubizwa ngokuba nguMmandla Kafay’ ayo ongaseNtshona, yaye umbhali ongumJamani uHerbert Sulzbach wakukhankanya oku kwincwadi yakhe yeziganeko kumazwi awawabhala ngosuku lokugqibela lowe-1914. Awakubhalayo kufundeka ngolu hlobo: “Le mfazwe imanyumnyezi iya iqhubekela phambili, yaye ngoxa wonk’ ubani ekuqaleni ebecinga ukuba iya kuphela kwisithuba nje seeveki ezimbalwa, ngoku isiphelo sayo asibonakali kwaphela.” Ngelo xesha, kweminye imimandla yaseYurophu, kwakuqhubeka amadabi ahambis’ umzimba phakathi kwemikhosi yaseRashiya, eyaseJamani, eyaseOstriya naseHungary neyaseSerbia. Kungekudala ungquzulwano lwanwenwela nakweminye imimandla engeyiyo eyaseYurophu, yaye kwakusiliwa amadabi kwiilwandlekazi naseAfrika, kuMbindi Mpuma nakwiziqithi zePasifiki.
Kwiminyaka emine eyalandelayo iYurophu yayibhuqiwe. IJamani, iRashiya, iOstriya neHungary ngalinye laloo mazwe laphulukana namajoni aphakathi kwesigidi nezigidi ezibini. IRashiya yade yaphulukana nolawulo lwayo lomnombo wasebukhosini kwimvukelo yamaBolshevik yowe-1917. Onjani umothuko ababa nawo ookumkani baseYurophu nabaxhasi babo abangabefundisi! Ababhali-mbali bale mihla basabamb’ ongezantsi nangoku. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Royal Sunset, uGordon Brook-Shepherd ubuza oku: “Kwenzeka njani ukuba abalawuli, inkoliso yabo ezizihlobo zegazi okanye ngokutshata nababezinikele bonke ekulondolozeni ubukumkani, bazivumele ukuba babulale abantakwabo nto leyo eyabatshayela kwathi tu abaninzi babo yaza yashiya bonke abasindileyo bengenamandla kangako?”
Kwakhona iriphabliki yaseFransi yaphulukana namajoni angaphezu kwesigidi, yaye uBukhosi baseBritani, ulawulo lwabo lookumkani bomnombo wasebukhosi luncitshiselwe amandla kudala ngaphambi kwemfazwe, baphulukana namajoni angaphezu kwama-900 000. Xa ewonke, amajoni awafayo angaphezu kwezigidi ezili-9, yaye azizigidi ezingama-21 angakumbi angxwelerheka. Ngokuphathelele ukufa kwabantu ababengalwi, iThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Akukho bani ulaziyo inani labantu ababengathabathi nxaxheba ababulawa zizifo, yindlala nazezinye izinto ezazibangelwa yimfazwe. Bambi ababhali-mbali bakholelwa kwelokuba kwafa inani labantu ababengathabathi nxaxheba elilinganayo nelamajoni.” Ubhubhani woMbathalala wowe-1918 wasuba eminye imiphefumlo engama-21 000 000 ehlabathini jikelele.
Inguqulelo Eqatha
Ihlabathi alizange libe njengoko lalinjalo ngaphambili emva kweMfazwe Enkulu, njengoko yayibizwa njalo ngelo xesha. Ekubeni iicawa ezininzi kangaka zeNgqobhoko zathabath’ inxaxheba ngehlombe kuyo, abantu abaninzi abasindayo nababephelelwe lithemba balushiya unqulo baza baxhasa inkolelo yokuba uThixo akakho. Abanye baphethukela ekusukeleni ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo nolonwabo. Ngokutsho kukaNjingalwazi uModris Eksteins kwincwadi yakhe ethi Rites of Spring, kwiminyaka yee-1920 “sabona ukwanda ngomlinganiselo ophawulekayo kwengcamango yokuba ulonwabo nokuzingca zezona zinto zibalulekileyo ebomini.”
UNjingalwazi Eksteins uthi: “Loo mfazwe yayonakalisa imilinganiselo yokuziphatha.” Kuwo omabini amacala amadoda ayefundiswe ziinkokeli zonqulo, ezomkhosi nezobupolitika ukuba akugqale ukubulala abantu abaninzi njengento efanelekileyo. Lo kaEksteins uyavuma ukuba oku “kuphela kwakukokona konakaliswa okubi kwemigaqo yokuziphatha ekuthiwa yayivela kwimilinganiselo yokuziphatha yamaYuda namaKristu.” Wongezelela esithi: “KuMmandla Kafay’ ayo ongaseNtshona, ngokukhawuleza imizi yoonongogo yaba yinto eqhelekileyo kwiinkampu zamajoni . . . Kwiindawo zokulungiselela amajoni amadoda namabhinqa ayeziphethe kakubi. Inani loonongogo laphula izikeyi.”
Eneneni, unyaka we-1914 waguqula izinto ezininzi. Awuzange uzise ihlabathi elilunge ngakumbi, yaye nemfazwe ayizange iphethukele ekubeni “yimfazwe yokuphelisa zonke iimfazwe,” njengoko abantu abaninzi babenethemba. Kunokuba ibe njalo, kwaba njengokuba umbhali-mbali uBarbara Tuchman ephawula: “Amaphupha nehlombe elalikho ukuya kuthi ga ngowe-1914 ngokuthe ngcembe lathatyathelw’ indawo ludandatheko olukhulu.”
Noko ke, abathile abazibonela ngawabo intlekele yowe-1914 abazange bakhwankqiswe ziziganeko zaloo nyaka. Enyanisweni, ngaphambi kokuqhambuka kwemfazwe, babelindele “ixesha eloyikekayo lenkathazo.” Babengoobani? Yaye yintoni ababeyazi eyayingaziwa ngabanye?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 5]
Ulindelo LweBritani Ngowe-1914
“Phantse kangangenkulungwane akukho tshaba lwakha lwathi cakatha umcondo walo kwiilwandle ezingqonge isiqithi sethu. . . . Kwakunzima nokucinga ukuba olu nxweme lunoxolo noluzolileyo lungaze lube sengozini. . . . ILondon ayizange ibonakale ichwayitile yaye izole ngakumbi kunangelo xesha. Akuzange kubekho okungaka okwakufanele kwenziwe, kubonwe yaye kuviwe. Abadala nabaselula abazange bayicinge nokuyicinga into yokuba oko babekubona, ebudeni belo xesha lingenakuthelekiswa nanto lowe-1914, enyanisweni, kwakukukuphela kwexesha elidala.”—Before the Lamps Went Out, nguGeoffrey Marcus.