1914—Umwaka Uwatulumwishe Icalo

“Inkondo Ikalamba iya 1914-18 yalala kwati ni ncende yabatama iye sonde lyababulwa ukwakanya iyo nshita ukufuma ku yesu. Mu kulofya ubumi bwafule fyo . . . , mu konaula ifisumino, ukwalula imfundo, no kusha ifibala fishingondapwa ifya kubulwe subilo, kwapangile umupokapoka wa fya ku mubili capamo no wa mitontonkanishishe pa kati ka fiputulwa fya nshita fibili ifya fiponako.”—Ukufuma muli The Proud Tower—A Portrait of the World Before the War 1890-1914, kuli Barbara Tuchman.

“Cili fye mupepi—lelo tacilaba—ulubali lwa lyashi lya kale, apantu amakana ya bantu ayengi abaali abaice pa kutendeka kwa uno mwanda wa myaka uwalenga amakumi yabili uwacindama bacili abomi.”—Ukufuma mu citabo 1914, kuli Lyn MacDonald, icasabankanishiwe mu 1987.

MULANDU nshi uwa kubela aba buseko mu mwaka wa 1914? ‘Cili ni nshita ya ku ntanshi iyankuma,’ e fyo pambi wingasosa, ‘te nshita yapita.’ Mu kuba ne mpika pamo nga ukukowesha kwa cibulungwa, ukubongoloka kwa bumi bwa lupwa, ukwingilishiwako mu musoka, ubulwele bwa muntontonkanya, no kubulwe ncito, inshita ya ku ntanshi iya muntu pambi kuti yamoneka ukuba iyashibantukila. Abengi ababebeta ukukatama kwa 1914, nangu cibe ifyo, basangile ishinte lye subilo mu nshita ya ku ntanshi iyawaminako.

Pa makumi ya myaka Ulupungu lwa kwa Kalinda lwalilondolola ukuti mu 1914 umutundu wa muntu wakumenye iciitwa ‘ukutendeka kwa kushikitika kwa kupaapa.’ Iyo numbwilo ipanga ulubali lwa busesemo bukalamba ubwa kwa Yesu Kristu pa lwa fya kuponako ifyali no kutangilila impela ya ino micitile ibifi iya muntu.—Mateo 24:7, 8.

Ilelo, iciputulwa cinono ica mutundu wa muntu cicili cilebukisha ifya kuponako fya kutulumusha ifya 1914. Bushe iyo nkulo ya bacikoloci ikapita pa ntanshi Lesa talapususha isonde ku konaulwa? Te kulingana no busesemo bwa Baibolo. “Ilyo mukamona ifi fyonse,” e fyo Yesu alaile, “ishibeni ukuti ali mupepi, ali pa mwinshi. Ndemwebe cine cine, ndeti, inkulo ino tayakapite, fikasuke ifi fyonse afiisa.”—Mateo 24:33, 34.

Pa kutesekesha umulandu umwaka wa 1914 wakwatila ukukatama kwa lyashi lya kale ukwa musango uyo, languluka imibele ya calo iyatwalilile ukufika pa kati ka 1914. Pa ntanshi ya ilya nshita, bakateka pamo nga Czar Nicholas wa ku Russia, Kaiser Wilhelm wa ku Germany, na Kateka Franz Josef wa Austria-Hungary batuninkishe amaka yakalamba. Umo umo uwa aba baume alikuutenye abaume ba bulwi ukucila pa mamilioni yane no kubatuma ku bulwi. Lelo ifikolwe fyabo fyali nafisaina icaleitwa Akabungwe ka Mushilo, ukubilisha ukuti Lesa abalashike ukutungulula imbali shapusanapusana isha “luko lwa Bwina Kristu” lumo ulukalamba.

Ukulingana na The Encyclopædia Britannica, ici calembwa “cayambukile mu kukosa inshila ya mucenjelo wa kubombelamo imilandu uwa cina Europe mu kati ka mwanda wa myaka walenga 19.” Cabomfiwe ku kukaanya utubungwe twa demokrasi no kwafwilisha icaleitwa insambu ya bulesa iya shamfumu. “Ifwe fwe Mfumu sha Bwina Kristu,” e fyo Kaiser Wilhelm alembele kuli Czar Nicholas, “twakwata umulimo umo uwa mushilo, uwabikwa pali ifwe no Mulu, uko e kuti ukusumbula icishinte ca [nsambu ya bulesa iya shamfumu].” Bushe ici capilibwile ukuti ishamfumu sha ku Europe mu mano yamo shalundanishiwe no Bufumu bwa kwa Lesa? (Linganyeniko 1 Abena Korinti 4:8.) Kabili ni shani pa lwa macalici ayo yaafwilishe isho shamfumu? Bushe ukubelesha kwabo ukwa buKristu kwali ukwine kwine? Icasuko kuli ifi fipusho cabele icaumfwika mu myaka yakonkele 1914 mu kwangufyanya.

Mu Kupumikisha, mu August

“Shinde no lusuba ifya mu 1914 fyaishibishiwe ku cibote caibela mu Europe,” e fyalembele shicalo umwina Britain Winston Churchill. Abantu mu cinkumbawile baenekele icisuma pa lwa nshita ya ku ntanshi. “Icalo ca mu 1914 caiswilemo isubilo ne cilayo,” e fyasosele Louis Snyder mu citabo cakwe World War I.

Ca cine, pa myaka iingi kwaliko ukukansana kwaluma pa kati ka Germany na Britain. Nangula ni fyo, nga fintu kalemba wa lyashi lya kale G. P. Gooch alondolola mu citabo cakwe Under Six Reigns ukuti: “Ukukansana kwa cina Europe kwamoneke ukwacepako mu kucitikako mu 1914 ukucila mu 1911, 1912 nelyo 1913 . . . Ukwampana pa kati ka makamfulumende yabili kwaliwamineko ukucila pa fintu kwali pa myaka yafulilako.” Ukulingana na Winston Churchill, icilundwa ca cabinet ya Britain iya 1914: “Germany amoneke kwati twali nankwe pamo, ukushimpwa pa mutende.”

Nangu cibe ifyo, mu kuba no kwipaiwa pa Sarajevo ukwa mpyani ya Buteko bwa Austria-Hungary pa June 28, 1914, ikumbi lyafiitula lyamonekele pa cifutu. Umweshi umo pa numa, Kateka Franz Josef asanshile Serbia mu nkondo kabili lyene akambishe imilalo yakwe ukusansa bulya bufumu. Pali ilya nshita, ubushiku pa August 3, 1914, kwi kambisho lya kwa Kaiser Wilhelm, umulalo ukalamba uwa ciGermany mu kupumikisha wasanshile ubufumu bwa Belgium no kulwa ukulungama ku France. Ubushiku bwakonkelepo Britain asanshile Germany mu nkondo. Ukukuma kuli Czar Nicholas, wene ali nakambisha ukukuutanishiwa kwa mulalo ukalamba uwa nkondo uwa cina Russia ukulwishanya na Germany na Austria-Hungary. Akabungwe ka Mushilo kalifililwe ukulesha ishamfumu sha ku Europe ukufuma ku kutumpika icalo cikalamba mu kulofiwa kukalamba kwa bantu ukwa kwipayaulula kwa mifwaile yapalana. Lelo ukutulumusha kukalamba kwali kucili kuleisa.

Ukupwa pa Ntanshi ya Krisimasi?

Ukubalamuka kwa nkondo takwatompwele ukwenekela ifisuma ukwa bantu. Abengi basumine ukuti yali no kuletako icalo cawaminako, na bacinkupiti bakalamba balilongene ukupulinkana Europe yonse ku kulumbulula ukwafwilisha kwabo kuli yene. “Takwali nangu umo mu 1914,” e filemba A. J. P. Taylor mu citabo cakwe The Struggle for Mastery in Europe—1848–1918, “uwalangulwike ubusanso bwa nkondo mu kushika kano fye ulubali lwa fya bulwi. . . . Takwali nangu umo uwaenekele akayofi ka fya kwangalila pamo.” Mu cifulo ca ico, abengi basobele ukuti inkondo yali no kupwa mu myeshi fye inono.

Nangula ni fyo, inshita yalepa pa ntanshi abena Europe bashilasefya Krisimasi ya mu 1914, ukukansana kwakaluka kwalilundulwike mu mbali ya mpembwe ishafimbile amakilomita ukucila pali 700 ukufuma ku Switzerland mu kapinda ka ku kulyo ukufika ku lulamba lwa Belgium mu kapinda ka ku kuso. Uku kwaitilwe Umupaka wa Bulwi uwa Masamba, kabili kalemba umwina Germany Herbert Sulzbach alumbwile kwene muli diary (icitabo ca kulembamo ifya kucitika fya cila bushiku) ifyalembelwe pa bushiku bwa kupelako ubwa 1914. Ifi fyebo fibelengwa ukuti: “Iyi nkondo yabipisha ya mutatakuya, lelo uuli onse atontonkenye pa ntendekelo ukuti yali no kupwa mu milungu fye inono, nomba takuli impela mu cilolwa.” Pali ino nshita, mu mbali shimbi isha Europe, imbuli sha kusumyo mulopa shalwikilwe pa kati ka milalo ya Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, na Serbia. Ukukansana mu kwangufyanya kwaanene ukuya bushilya bwa Europe, kabili imbuli shalwikilwe pali ba bemba na mu Africa, Middle East, ne fishi fya Pacific.

Imyaka ine pa numa Europe alipomwenwe. Germany, Russia, na Austria-Hungary cimo cimo calufishe abashilika pa kati ka milioni umo na mamilioni yabili. Russia alufishe fye no buteko bwakwe muli bumwaluka bwa Bolshevik ubwa mu 1917. Mwandi cali ca kutulumusha ku shamfumu sha Europe na ba kafwilisha babo bashibutotelo! Bakalemba ba lyashi lya kale aba muno nshiku bacili balapapa. Mu citabo cakwe Royal Sunset, Gordon Brook-Shepherd aipusha ukuti: “Ni shani caali ukuti bakateka, abaali ukucilisha abayampana mu mulopa nelyo mu cupo kabili bonse abaipeela ku kubakilila bumfumu, baisuminishe abene ukushetukila mu kwipayaulula kwa bukatu ukwa bwananyina uko kwapyangile abengi aba bene mu kulofiwa no kusha bakapusunsuka bonse abapomponteka?”

Ripabuliki ya France na yo yalufishe abashilika ukucila pali milioni umo, kabili Ubuteko bwa Britain, ubo ukuteka kwa buko kwali nakunashiwa kale kale inshita iitali pa ntanshi ya nkondo, bwalufishe ukucila pali 900,000. Muli shonse, ukucila pa bashilika amamilioni 9 balifwile, na mamilioni 21 mu kulundako balicenawilwe. Ukukuma ku kulufya kwa bashali bashilika, The World Book Encyclopedia ilondolola ukuti: “Takwaba uwaishiba bekashi banga bafwile ku malwele, ku cipowe, ne fya kulenga fimbi ifyaampanishiwa ku nkondo. Bakalemba ba lyashi lya kale bamo basumina ukuti ubwingi bwa bashali bashilika balifwile ukupala abashilika.” Icikuko ca fuluensa ya ciSpanish ya mu 1918 calofeshe imyeo na imbi 21,000,000 ukushinguluke sonde.

Ukwaluka Kukalamba

Icalo tacabalile aciba cimo cine pa numa ya Nkondo Ikalamba, nga fintu caitilwe ilya nshita. Apantu amacalici ayengi aya Kristendomu yali nayakanamo mu kucincimuka muli yene, bakapusunsuka babipilwa abengi bafutatile ubutotelo no kwalukila kuli bumukanalesa. Bambi baalukile ku kusupila ifyuma fya ku mubili no musamwe. Ukulingana na Profesa Modris Eksteins mu citabo cakwe Rites of Spring, ba 1920 “bacitile ubunte ubumi bwa kuiposaika na bukaitemwe bwa fyakaniko fyalinganako ifyamonekesha.”

“Inkondo,” e filondolola Profesa Eksteins, “yasanshile ifipimo fya mibele isuma.” Abaume ku mbali shonse shibili basambilishiwe ne ntungulushi sha mabutotelo, isha fya bulwi, ne sha bupolitiki ukumona ukwipayaulula kukalamba ngo kwali fye bwino mu mibele. Uku, e fisumina Eksteins, “kwali fye e kusansa ukwakalukisha pa muyano wa mibele uko kwatungile ukushimpe mishila mu fishinte fisuma ifya Bwina Kristu bwa ciYuda.” “Pa Mupaka wa Bulwi uwa Masamba,” e fintu alundako, “amayanda ya bacilende mu kwangufyanya yabomfiwe nge fifulo fya lyonse ifya nkambi sha bashilika . . . Mu bwikalo bwa bashali bashilika imibele ya baume na banakashi yafikile ku cipimo ca bucisenene bwabipisha. Bucilende bwalingilishiweko apakalamba.”

Mu cine cine, 1914 yaalwile ifingi. Tayaleteleko icalo cawaminako, kabili inkondo tayali ni “nkondo ya kupwishe nkondo shonse,” nga fintu abantu abengi basubile. Mu cifulo ca ico, nga fintu kalemba wa lyashi lya kale Barbara Tuchman amwene ukuti: “Amapange ya kuisenteka no kucincimuka ifyali no kucitikako ukufika mu 1914 panono panono fyalibotelele mu kubipilwa kukalamba ukwaanene.”

Nangu cibe ifyo, bamo abamweneko akayofi ka mu 1914 tabapapushiwe ne fya kuponako fya ulya mwaka. Na kuba, pa ntanshi inkondo tailatendeka, baleenekela “inshita ya kutiinya iya bucushi.” Baali ni bani? Kabili cinshi cintu baishibe ico bambi bashaishibe?

[Akabokoshi pe bula 5]

Ukwenekela Ifisuma Ukwa Britain mu 1914

“Mupepi no mwanda wa myaka takwali umulwani uwamonekele muli babemba ukushinguluke cishi cesu. . . . Kwaliko ubwafya nelyo fye ni mu kumwena libela ukucitikako kwa cintiinya kuli ishi naamba sha mutende. . . . London tayabalile aimonekapo ukucankwa no kuba iya lubanda. Takwatalile akubako ifingi fyawaminwe ukucitwa, no kumona, no kumfwa. Atemwa abakalamba nelyo abanono tabakwete ukutunganya ukuli konse ukwa kuti ico balecitilako ubunte, mu kati ka cilya ciputulwa ca mwaka icishingalinganishiwako ica mu 1914, cali, na kuba, impela ya nkulo.”—Before the Lamps Went Out, ica kwa Geoffrey Marcus.