Causes of World War I: Was Germany to Blame?

World War I was the first global conflict since the Industrial Revolution, and with it came a new generation of weapons. The causes of the First World War are heterogeneous, but their combination led to the start of the Great War in 1914, ending in 1918. Among the causes of the First World War are the following: Militarism, Imperialism, Nationalism, and Alliances. The Treaty of Versailles points to Germany as responsible for the war. Surely it wasn't the only responsible party, but Germany's actions were the ones that led to the war. The truth is that once the war was ending, all the responsibility for its beginning fell on Germany, and this was reflected in writing in Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (1919). This was the first peace agreement that introduced the concept of "responsibility for war," a fact criticized by Germany. Can Germany be blamed for starting the World War?

Germany's Role in the Outbreak of WWI

Germany was not the only one to blame for causing the war. Austria-Hungary also helped cause it. Austria-Hungary had a lot of problems with nationalism in their country. Many Serbs lived in Austria-Hungary, and they wanted to bring Serbia into Austria-Hungary. This caused tension within Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary was not happy with Serbia, so they declared war. The only problem was that Serbia was allied with Russia, and as soon as Austria-Hungary would attack Serbia, Russia would come to help Serbia. This meant Austria-Hungary fighting against both Serbia and Russia. They told their allies Germany, and Germany promised to help them if Russia came to help Serbia.

Among the causes that explain the outbreak of the First World War, the conflict in the Balkans, which began in the second half of the 20th century, stands out without any doubt. As we know, there are four main causes, and we focused on nationalism and militarism. The Balkan states wanted to keep their independence. The Balkan War consisted of a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire. The success of the Balkan League shocked most European powers, including the Russian allies of France and Great Britain.

Factors Contributing to Germany's Responsibility

There are quite a lot of causes that suggest that Germany can be blamed for starting WWI. One of them is "The Franco-Prussian War." This war created a powerful German Empire with military and industrial potential, modifying the European balance of power on the one hand and fostering a wish for revenge among the French on the other.

With the accession of Wilhelm II to the German throne in 1888, German policy became more aggressive. The new German Emperor discharged Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor. One of the reasons why Wilhelm II helped to create an alliance between France and Russia (formed in 1892), which became the base for the future Triple Entente, was because he refused to renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia. This treaty had kept the peace between Russia and Austria-Hungary, as well as maintained France's isolation.

Conclusion: A Complex Web of Responsibility

As we have seen, this question doesn't have an easy answer. Great Britain and France also had a lot to do with the beginning of World War I. Obviously, the main problem was that all the countries didn't communicate with one another. It is unclear if Germany was solely to blame for causing the war, as other countries were also culpable. Germany started fighting on one side of the war, but the other countries were also planning a war; they already knew who they wanted to attack. Probably, if Germany hadn't attacked France through Belgium, then the war would have happened anyway, but in a different way.