Eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, izigidi zezinsizwa zashiya amakhaya azo alondekile zaya empini. Zashona khona ngokukhulu ukuzimisela zigqugquzelwa isifiso sokulwela izwe lazo. Ngo-1914 elinye ivolontiya laseMelika labhala lokhu, “Ngijabulile futhi ngibheke phambili ezinsukwini ezimnandi ezizayo.”

Nokho, ngokushesha injabulo yabo yaphenduka usizi. Akekho owayazi ukuthi lawo mabutho amakhulu ayeyobhekana nobunzima obukhulu iminyaka eminingi eBelgium naseFrance. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu babebiza le mpi ngokuthi “iMpi Enkulu.” Namuhla, yaziwa ngokuthi impi yezwe yokuqala.

Okwabangela ukuba le mpi ibe nkulu, inani labantu abafa nabalimala kuyo. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi kwafa abantu abayizigidi ezingu-10 futhi kwalimala abayizigidi ezingu-20. Amaphutha amakhulu nawo aba nomthelela kule mpi. Ababusi baseYurophu behluleka ukunqanda ukungezwani kwamazwe ukuba kungabi impi yomhlaba wonke. Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi le “Mpi Enkulu” yadala umonakalo omkhulu. Yashintsha umhlaba ngezindlela ezisasithinta nathi namuhla.

Impi yezwe yokuqala yagqashuka ngenxa yezinqumo ezingahlakaniphile. Incwadi i-The Fall of the Dynasties—The Collapse of the Old Order 1905-1922 ithi abaholi baseYurophu “babengazi ukuthi izinqumo zabo zaziyoholela empini yomhlaba wonke phakathi nehlobo lika-1914.”

Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa kubulawe inkosana yase-Austria, wonke amazwe amakhulu aseYurophu angena empini ayengayifuni. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa kuqale le mpi, umbusi waseJalimane wabuzwa: “Iqale kanjani le mpi?” Waphendula ngokudabuka: “Uyadela owaziyo.”

Abaholi abenza lezo zinqumo ezaholela kule mpi babengazi nakwazi ukuthi iyoba yini imiphumela yazo. Ngokushesha inkungu yasa emasosheni ayesempini. Abona ukuthi abaholi bawo babengazifezanga izithembiso zabo, abefundisi bawo bewakhohlisile futhi ojenene bawo bewanikele ekufeni. Ngayiphi indlela?

Abaholi bathembisa ukuthi le mpi yayiyovula ithuba lokuba kube nezwe elisha nelingcono. Umbusi waseJalimane wathi: “Silwela ukuthula kwezwe lethu, ifa esalishiyelwa okhokho bethu kanye nekusasa lethu.” UMongameli waseMelika uWoodrow Wilson wasungula isiqubulo esidumile esiqinisekisa ukuthi impi “yayiyokwenza izwe lilungele ukubusa kwentando yeningi.” EBrithani abantu babecabanga ukuthi lena kwakuyoba “impi eyoqeda zonke izimpi.” Babeshaye phansi kwashunq’ uthuli.

Abefundisi bayisekela ngentshiseko le mpi. I-The Columbia History of the World ithi, “Abavikeli bezwi likaNkulunkulu bakhuthaza abantu ukuba baye empini. Le mpi enkulu yabangela inzondo enkulu.” Abefundisi babhebhethekisa inzondo kunokuyiqeda. Incwadi ethi A History of Christianity ithi, “Abefundisi behluleka futhi babengazimisele ukubeka ukholo lobuKristu ngaphambi kokulwela izwe labo. Iningi labo lathatha indlela enqamulelayo, lasebenzisa iBhayibheli ukuze likhuthaze ubuzwe. Amasosha ezinkolo zobuKristu ezihlukahlukene atshelwa ukuba abulalane egameni loMsindisi wawo.”

Ojenene bathembisa ukuthi le mpi iyonqotshwa kalula futhi ngokushesha, kodwa akwenzekanga lokho. Kungakabiphi, amasosha atholana phezulu, lungekho uhlangothi olugob’ uphondo. Ngemva kwalokho, izigidi zamasosha zabhekana nalokho esinye isazi-mlando esikuchaza ngokuthi “ukuhlukumezeka okukhulu nokunonya kunakho konke umuntu ake wabhekana nakho ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo.” Naphezu kwenani elikhulu lamasosha ayebulawa, ojenene babeqhubeka bethumela amasosha ezindaweni ezinezingcingo ezihlabayo nokwakudutshulwa kuzo ngezibhamu ezingontuluntulu. Shono nje amasosha amaningi aqala ukuvukela.

Impi yezwe yokuqala yabathinta kanjani abantu? Enye incwadi yomlando icaphuna owayeyisosha ngaleso sikhathi: “Impi . . . yalimaza izingqondo nobuntu babantu bangaleso sikhathi.” Ngempela, le mpi yagumbuqela imibuso eminingi. Leyo mpi ehlasimulisayo yaba isiqalo sekhulu leminyaka eligcwele ukuchithwa kwegazi okungakaze kubonwe ngaphambili. Imibhikisho nokuvukelwa kwemibuso kuye kwaba insakavukela.

Yini eyabangela ukuba le mpi idale isiyaluyalu emhlabeni? Ingabe yayimane nje iwumphumela wephutha elikhulu? Ingabe izimpendulo zembula okuthile ngekusasa lethu?