1. ECHOES OF WWI: China, the US, and the Next “Great War”
Presented by James Corbett
Open Mind Conference
Copenhagen, Denmark
September 16, 2017

2. WWI COMETH
“[...]it may be observed that our relations with Germany, if not exactly cordial, have at least been practically free from all symptoms of direct friction, and there is an impression that Germany will think twice before she now gives rise to any fresh disagreement. In this attitude she will be encouraged if she meets on England’s part with unvarying courtesy and consideration in all matters of common concern, but also with a prompt and firm refusal to enter into any one-sided bargains or arrangements, and the most unbending determination to uphold British rights and interests in every part of the globe.”

3. WWI COMETH

4. WWIII COMETH
"A hundred years from now, this is what they’ll remember — what we did to confront China on its rise to world domination. [...] China right now is Germany in 1930."
"We’re going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years."

5. WWIII COMETH

6. THE HUNS ARE COMING!

7. THE HANS ARE COMING!

8. ECHOES OF WWI: China, the US, and the Next “Great War”
Presented by James Corbett
Open Mind Conference
Copenhagen, Denmark
September 16, 2017

9. KISSINGER APPROVED

10. On China by Henry Kissinger

11. On China by Henry Kissinger

12. Destined For War by Graham Allison

13. THUCYDIDES

14. Destined For War by Graham Allison

15. EERIE SIMILARITIES? 1914 and 2017
A rising power
Entangling alliances
Military competition
Resource competition
Trade competition
Invasion hysteria

16. A RISING POWER - WWI

17. A RISING POWER - WWIII

18. ENTANGLING ALLIANCES - WWI

19. ENTANGLING ALLIANCES - WWIII

20. MILITARY COMPETITION - WWI

21. MILITARY COMPETITION - WWIII

22. RESOURCE COMPETITION – WWI

23. RESOURCE COMPETITION – WWIII

24. TRADE COMPETITION – WWI

25. TRADE COMPETITION – WWIII

26. INVASION HYSTERIA – WWI

27. INVASION HYSTERIA – WWIII

28. INVASION HYSTERIA – WWIII

29. INVASION HYSTERIA – WWIII

30. LEARNING FROM HISTORY

31. LEARNING FROM HISTORY

32. LEARNING FROM HISTORY

33. LEARNING FROM HISTORY Change in conception of war itself
Change in monetary paradigm
Change in government
Re-drawing the world map
Rise of new entities/powers
Fundamental change in consciousness

34. BUT...
WWI WAS AN ENGINEERED CONFLICT
WWIII IS AN ENGINEERED CONFLICT

35. SOLDIER'S STORIES
One day we got orders to storm a French position. We got in and my comrades fell right and left of me, but then I was confronted by a French Corporal. He with his bayonet at the ready and I with my bayonet at the ready.
For a moment I felt the fear of death and in a fraction of a second I realised that he was after my life exactly as I was after his. I was quicker than he was. I tossed his rifle away and I ran my bayonet through his chest He fell, put his hand on the place were I had hit him and then I thrust again. Blood came out of his mouth and he died.
I felt physically ill. I nearly vomited. My knees were shaking and I was quite frankly ashamed of myself. My comrades, I was a corporal there then, were absolutely undisturbed by what had happened. One of them boasted that he had killed a poilu with the butt of his rifle, another one had strangled a captain, a French captain.

36. SOLDIER'S STORIES
A third one had hit somebody over the head with his spade and they were ordinary men like me. One of them was a tram conductor, another one a commercial traveller, two were students, the rest were farm workers, ordinary people who never would have thought to do any harm to anyone.
How did it come about that they were so cruel? I remembered then that we were told that the good soldier kills without thinking of his adversary as a human being. The very moment he sees in him a fellow man, he is not a good soldier anymore. But I had in front of me the dead man, the dead French soldier and how would I liked him to have raised his hand.
I would have shaken his hand and we would have been the best of friends. Because he was nothing like me but a poor boy who had to fight, who had to go in with the most cruel weapons against a man who had nothing against him personally, who only wore the uniform of another nation, who spoke another language, but a man who had a father and mother and a family perhaps and so I felt.

37. SOLDIER'S STORIES

38. WAR IS OVER