Eminyakeni elikhulu eyadlulayo, amajaha ayizigidi asuka emazweni akibo aya empini. Ayezimisele ukuyakulwa ngenxa yokuthatheka ngodumo lokuthanda ilizwe lawo. Ngo-1914 elinye isotsha lase-America labhala ukuthi: “Ngiyathokoza njalo ngithabe kakhulu ngenxa yamalanga amnandi asesondele.”

Kodwa akubanga nsukungaki, ukuthaba kwantshintsha kwaba yikukhala. Akula ngitsho loyedwa owayekunanzelela ukuthi amasotsha la ayezahlangana lobunzima obukhulu eBelgium laseFrance. Ngalesosikhathi abantu babiza impi le ngokuthi: “iMpi eNkulu.” Namuhla ibizwa ngokuthi yimpi yomhlaba wonke yokuqala.

Empini yomhlaba wonke yokuqala kwafa abantu abanengi njalo abanengi basala belimele. Kucatshangelwa ukuthi kwafa abantu abangaba yizigidi ezingu-10 njalo kwalimala izigidi ezingu-20. Lokhu kwabangelwa ngamaphutha amakhulu kakhulu. Inkokheli zamazwe ase-Europe azizange zenelise ukulamula ukungazwanani okwakusemhlabeni okwacina kubangele impi yomhlaba wonke. Okuqakatheke kakhulu mhlawumbe yikuthi “iMpi eNkulu” yatshiya umhlaba umanxebanxeba. Yantshintsha umhlaba ngendlela elokhu ithinta lathi namuhla.

Ukungahluleli kuhle yikho okwalumathisa impi yokuqala yomhlaba wonke. Ibhuku elithi: The Fall of the Dynasties​—The Collapse of the Old Order 1905-1922 lithi abakhokheli bamazwe ase-Europe “ngesikhathi sentwasa ka-1914 esasilokuthula, babefanana labantu abahamba belele ubuthongo, bengaboni igodi abasebewela kulo.”

Ngemva kwamaviki athile, ukubulawa kwenkosana yase-Austria kwangenisa amazwe amakhulu ase-Europe empini ayengayikhangelelanga. Ngemva kwamalanga amalutshwana impi iqalisile, inhloko kahulumende waseGerman yabuzwa ukuthi: “Lokhu kwenzakale njani?” Yaphendula idanile yathi: “O! bakithi ngabe besikwazi.”

Abakhokheli ababesenza izinqumo eziyingozi ezacina zibangele impi babengananzeleli ukuthi kuzaphetha ngani. Kodwa iqiniso lacaca emasotsheni ayesemigelweni yokulwela impi. Bakubona ukuthi abakhokheli bamazwe abo abazigcwalisanga izithembiso zabo, abafundisi bamasonto babebakhohlisile kanye lokuthi abalawuli bamabutho babebabambise ilitshe. Njani?

Abakhokheli bamazwe babethembise ukuthi impi yayizaletha uhlelo olutsha kanye lentuthuko emhlabeni. Inhloko kahulumende waseGerman yathi: “Okwenza silwe ngumsebenzi omuhle owafezwa ngamankampani impi ingakafiki, ilifa esalithola kubokhokho bethu kanye lekusasa lethu.” UMongameli wase-America uWoodrow Wilson waba lesandla ekubunjweni kwesilogani esasiqinisekisa abantu ukuthi impi, “izakwenza ukuthi kubuswe ngentando kazulu emhlabeni.” Njalo elizweni laseBritain kwakucatshangwa ukuthi, “impi le yayizaqeda izimpi.” Bonke babezikhohlisa.

Abafundisi bamasonto babesekela impi ngomfutho. I-Columbia History of the World ithi: “Abaphathi belizwi likaNkulunkulu, yibo ababekhuthaza abantu ukuthi bayekulwa. Impi le eyathinta umuntu wonke yamemethekisa inzondo enkulu kakhulu.” Abafundisi babasela umlilo wenzondo kulokuthi bawucitshe. Ibhuku elithi History of Christianity lithi abafundisi babezimisele ukuqakathekisa ubuzwe kulokuthi baqakathekise ukholo lwesiKhristu. Liqhubeka lisithi, “Abanengi babevika ngokuthi ubuzwe buqakathekile njengesiKhristu. Amasotsha angamaKhristu avela emasontweni atshiyeneyo ayekhuthazwa ukuthi abulalane egameni loMsindisi.”

Abalawuli bamabutho babethembise ukuthi bazanqoba ngesikhatshana kodwa lokho akuzange kwenzakale. Akubanga nsukungaki, amaqembu alwayo ayesengutshiki lobhanqa. Ngemva kwalokho, izigidi zamasotsha zahlangana lalokho omunye wezembali athi “kungabe kwakuyisihluku esikhulu kulazo zonke abantu abake basibona.” Lanxa kwakusifa amasotsha amanengi, abalawuli bebutho babelokhu bethumela amasotsha abo ukuthi ayevikana lenhlamvu zemibhobho. Lokhu yikho okwabangela ukuthi amasotsha ahlamuke.

Impi yomhlaba wonke yokuqala yazintshintsha njani izimpilo zabantu? Elinye ibhuku lezembali lacaphuna amazwi elinye isotsha athi: “Impi yaphambanisa indlela abantu ababecabanga ngayo kanye lokuziphatha kwabo.” Ngenxa yempi le, imibuso eminengi yanyamalala. Ngemva kwempi le ebuhlungu kwalandela iminyaka yokuchitheka kwegazi ngendlela engakaze ibonakale embalini. Kwaba lamaqembu amanengi ayegenqula imibuso njalo abantu babekhalala imisebenzi ezindaweni ezinengi.

Kungani impi yantshintsha umhlaba kangaka? Kwaphongukwenzakala yini? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le ziveza okuthile ngekusasa lethu yini?