Causes of World War I: Beyond Germany

Shared Responsibility for World War I

It is true that not all the blame for the outbreak of the First World War should fall solely on Germany. Other countries also took actions that, in retrospect, were not successful or contributed to rising tensions.

Precursors to Conflict

The Moroccan Crises

For example, in the Moroccan Crises, Germany was involved but arguably found itself in a difficult position, facing opposition from multiple other powers.

The Italo-Turkish War

In the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912), another event preceding the First World War, Germany had no direct involvement in the fighting. Italy took advantage of the situation to attack the Ottoman Empire while European powers had disagreements with Turkey over other issues.

The Balkan Wars

Germany also had no direct involvement in the Balkan Wars (1912-1913). In my opinion, these were among the most significant and disastrous events leading up to the First World War. The First Balkan War saw Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Greece expel the Ottoman Empire from much of the Balkans. However, the Second Balkan War erupted when Bulgaria turned against its former allies, joined by Romania and the Ottoman Empire. This period significantly heightened tensions in the region.

The Immediate Trigger: 1914

I believe the Balkan Wars marked a turning point, but the immediate trigger for the First World War, formerly known as the Great War, occurred on June 28, 1914.

Assassination in Sarajevo

On this date, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated in Sarajevo. This event was the final straw for Austria-Hungary, which had already been seeking a confrontation with its Balkan neighbor, Serbia, for some time.

Austria-Hungary's Ultimatum

The assassination provided Austria-Hungary with a pretext to confront Serbia. However, it was not until July 23, 1914, that Austria-Hungary presented its ultimatum to Serbia, setting in motion the events that led to the start of the First World War.

Assessing Germany's Role

In my opinion, Germany played a significant role in the First World War and was one of the first countries to take decisive steps towards conflict. However, it was not solely responsible. I believe the war was a culmination of many prior events and complex factors.

While Germany was among the first to act, other countries became more deeply involved in the fighting and committed actions with more severe consequences. Despite this, Germany often appears to be portrayed as the sole cause of everything. In my opinion, this is not entirely accurate. Although Germany possessed one of the best armies, it remained somewhat on the "margin" in certain aspects compared to the full extent of the conflict's development.