Was Germany to blame for the outbreak of World War I?

Answer 1

They did not bear the sole and total responsibility that was laid on them by the Versailles treaty but they had been actively planning on a war with France for some years for the purpose of gaining territory so they certainly bear the largest part of the responsibility. However, the war first started as a conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. Germany did try to prevent it from becoming a more general war by warning France and Russia not to aid Serbia. They ignored the warnings and a series of treaties requiring verious contries to help other countries in the event of war all went into effect and suddenly everybody was at war. Germany went ahead with their plans for teritorial acquisition. Michael Montagne

Yes. Germany was responsible for causing WWI because of the "blank check" given on June 6th, 1914 which allowed Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia with Germany's support. They also pushed Austria to go to war.

Germany was not responsible for the First World War; rather, of the initial combatants in WWI they bear equal if not lesser blame.

It is fair enough to argue that Kaiser Wilhelm II harboured expansionist aims and through seeking a large navy and following a militaristic Weltpolitik, he alienated Great Britain and Russia; furthermore, his failure to resign the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia in 1894 allowed France to slink back from its diplomatic isolation that Bismarck had crafted between 1871 and 1890. Germany, though, was NOT seeking a war (even a limited one) with any of the European powers at the time. Kaiser Wilhelm, like a child playing with toy soldiers, revelled in the concept of Sabre-rattling and trying to overcompensate for his own non-martial skills; thus, his blank cheque to Austria.

FRANCE, however, bears far more responsibility for scaling up the pressure and international mobilization in the weeks leading up to WWI. Kaiser Wilhelm tried to reign in Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria and Czar Nicholas II; France, however, worked feverishly Behind the Scenes to arrange a multi-lateral attack on Germany in retaliation for the Franco-Prussian War, and did in fact encourage Russia to mobilize BEFORE Germany. Of the four initial Great Powers involved (Germany, France, Russia, and Austria) German armies mobilized LAST. Austria and Russia are more to blame, and France, therefore, bears more responsibility. The First World War can thus be seen in this light as simply revenge (on their part at least) for the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.

In all fairness, however, one must truly argue that ALL the Great Powers, caught up in nationalistic, self-aggrandizing, imperialistic and militaristic policies, slid irrevocably into a horrible morass of death and destruction. The desire to pinpoint blame and attach that to one country or another comes, it seems, not from a true attempt to legally and logically assess the causes and consequences, but rather to allow us to frame such horrific and ultimately futile wanton destruction in a morally acceptable framework: "Yes, it was a horrible and meaningless war, but WE didn't start it." Unfortunately, they ALL did.

Many historians are unsure which country was most responsibla for the outbreak of war. Germany was responsible for World War one because Germany had given Austria the Blank cheque. This shows that Germany was looking forward to war. Germany had also made the Schlieffen plan whereby they had to pass through Belgium to get to France, crush them then quickly move their army up to the east front to fight Russia. This plan althouh did not work out. Germany was also provoking the British by building their own Navy. Britain disliked this idea because then Germany would get even more power ful. Germany also told Austria-Hungary that both would start a war against Serbia if they would not accept the rules given by austria-Hungary. This is why Germany and Austria-Hungary went to war against Serbi. This war could have been localised but but Serbia was allied with Russia, and Russia with France and Britain.

The Schlieffen Plan was that Germany would first invade France through Belgium and then attack Russia before it had mobilised. The reason that Britain joined the war was because everyone in Europe had signed a treaty which said that Belgium would stay neutral in times of war, when France had a plea for help to Britain after Germany had taken over Belgium, Britain decided to join war to stop Germany from expansion.

I think leading up to the war Britain, France and Russia were in a difficult position. On more than one occasion these allied powers sought to avoid large-scale war. Their reactions during the Moroccan Crisis, Bosnian Crisis and the Balkan Wars that followed are just a few examples. If these powers had wanted war then they had an abundance of motives. Anti-German behaviour was prevalent at the time because Germany was an aggressive power pursuing an aggressive foreign policy. Germany had planned to wage a large-scale war. The Schlieffen plan was devised in 1905 as an offensive strategy and was acted out in 1914. The Triple Entente was signed in 1907 as a reaction to Germany's dangerous behaviour. French war plans that were devised were all purely defensive alliances. Britain, France and Russia did not want war but they were prepared for war.

Many people like to blame the Germans but for a matter of fact I think that the Germans even though they didn't help any of the situations neither did any of the other countries either. There were many reasons why the first world war began listed above, but the one I would like to argue with is:

"Germany was responsible for the outbreak of the war as it invaded Belgium to reach France. If they had been sensible and attacked through the forest on the French-German border. But no, they went through neutral Belgium and forced Britain's hand."

I think saying that the Germans would have been sensible cutting through the forest on the French-German border is silly. Yes the German's should have respected the Belgium neutrality but if the Germans had gone straight through the forest (like the French thought they were going to do) they would have all been gunned down. They were protecting there people like we would have protected hours. This was a smart move like it or not, although obviously not smart enough because we still won the war!

The case for arguing that Germany (or at least the German General Staff) bears the key responsibility for unleashing World War 1 is more complicated than, for example, stating that they invaded Belgium or that Kaiser Wilhelm did or said this or that.

The case is that the German General Staff did everything it could to push Austria-Hungary into being completely unreasonable and then into going to war. In other words, the (modern) argument is that Germany - or at least its General Staff - started the war in effect by proxy.

Germany was the senior partner in the Triple Alliance, and Austria-Hungary would never have risked war with Russia without full and unqualified German backing.

In Germany the machinery of government was not well co-ordinated at the top, and the General Staff was not under political control by 1914. Instead, the military were barking out orders to Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg and the Kaiser.

From about 1920-60 most German historians would broadly have agreed with the conventional American view on this question. In 1961, however, the German historian, Fritz Fischer, after a careful study of the German and Austro-Hungarian archives, came to the conclusion that the German General Staff had indeed plunged Europe into war in 1914. In Vienna there were doves as well as hawks. Serbia accepted most of the points in the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum, and the doves argued very persuasively in favour of acceptance. The consternation of the German General Staff knew no bounds and it immediately used its considerable influence to strengthen the position of the hawks. Fischer concludes that the government of Austria-Hungary was placed under massive pressure to escalate the crisis instead of defusing it.

Fritz Fischer stresses that he doesn't accept the Versailles "war guilt clause", which treated every German man, woman and child as responsible. He places the blame on the German General Staff, which wasn't under effective political control, but almost a rival government within Germany, at least in matters of defence and foreign policy.

Many reputable German historians accept some version of this view, and Fritz Fischer was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz,1. Klasse (Federal Order of Merit, 1st Class). He is respected and not regarded as some zany outsider. Over the years one of the main criticisms to emerge is that he paid insufficient attention to underlying tensions.

(It appears that popular history in the U.S. has a problem considering the possibility that Germany bears the main responsibility for starting World War 1).

See the links below.

Answer 2

In 1961 the West Geman historian Fritz Fischer (1908-1999), having carefully studied the relevant German and Austrian archives, came to the conclusion that the German General Staff deliberately unleashed WW1 by systematically escalating the crisis caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914. In Austria-Hungary, there were doves as well as hawks, and the German General Staff used its influence in Vienna to strengthen the position of the hawks and wreck the efforts of the doves. (At the time the German General Staff wasn't under effective control by German politicians; in matters of defence and foreign polciy was a kind of rival government).

Other historians who share this kind of view include Wolfgang Mommsen and Hans-Ulrich Wehler - though they would all make modifications to the original hypothesis. Many other historians, especially in Germany, accept various modified versions.

Fritz Fischer was awarded the Bundesverdiensterkreuz, 1. Klasse (Federal Cross of Merit, 1st Class) for his work as a historian and he can't be brushed aside as some eccentric outsider.

Fritz Fischer always stressed that he doesn't support the "war guilt clause" in the Treaty of Versailles, which in effect treated every German man, woman and child as responsible. Moreover, the politicians at Versailles did not have any of this documentary evidence available, and the Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany caused the war by invading Belgium. Fritz Fischer blames very small cliques in the German military, which even the German government didn't have under control.

World War 1 was triggered by the death of Austria-Hungary's Archduke Franz Ferdinand, killed by a Serbian terrorist of the Black Hand organization, a Serbian nationalist secret society. A month after the assassination, on 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary, dissatisfied with Serbia's response to her ultimatum declared war on Serbia. So who was really responsible for the outbreak of World War 1? During my research, I have found that historians have debated this question since the very early stages of the war and it is also still remains controversial. Some historians thought it was Austria-Hungary and some of them said Serbia, Russia or Germany. In my own opinion, I think that all of them should responsible for the outbreak of World War 1, but Germany should held more responsible for the outbreak of war in 1914 but not solely.

Germany encouraged Austria-Hungary to be completely unreasonable in its dealings with Serbia. From this, we can see that German should be held primarily responsible for the outbreak of World War 1, because it could have applied pressure on Austria to secure peace but it actually is encouraged her to attack Serbia.

Moreover ...In the 1960s the German historian, Fritz Fischer, argued that Germany had to bear the main responsibility for the outbreak of the war. Because the German government and general staff precipitated an escalation of the Austro-Serb crisis in order to launch what they considered a preventive strike against Russia and France. If war did not come about, Germany at least hoped to weaken the Entente and win a moral victory that would increase the prestige and stability of Germany and the Habsburg Empire. Bethmann embraced a calculated risk of escalation.

Germany had given Austria the 'Blank Cheque', which was an almost unconditional guarantee of support for Austria-Hungary no matter what she decided. So from this point it shows that Germany was looking forward to war. Germany also had the long-standing Schlieffen Plan which involved passing through the Beigium to get attack the France and then crush them, and after that then move their army up to the east front to fight Russia. But although this play did not work the Germany had also was provoked the British by their own vast naval building program. Britain disliked this idea because then Germany would get even more powerful.

Germany was mainly, but not solely, responsible for the escalation of the Austro-Serbian War into the First World War. Germany was the First Great Power to declare war on another. On 1 August, when she declared war on Russia. It is accepted that Russia was provocative with the order for partial mobilization on 31 July and this was the background to Germany's war declaration. The effects of mobilization on Germany should had calculated by the good leadership in Russia. The Russian mobilization must be seen in the context of support of Serbia who had been invaded by Austria. The claim that Germany has primary, but not sole, responsibility for the escalation is further supported by the domination of the military in decision making from 31 July. It was this domination, and implementation of the Schlieffen Plan, that led to Germany's declaration of war on France, 3 August, followed by the invasion of Belgium and thereafter by Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 4 August.

Further evidence of German responsibilityKey points made by Fritz Fischer include these:

1. Austria-Hungary would never had presented such harsh terms to Serbia without full backing from Germany, which was the senior partner in the alliance. The Germans gave Austria-Hungary a 'blank cheque' very early in the crisis (6 July 1914). The Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary, Bechthold checked and double-checked that he did really have full German backing. At one point he got mixed responses and asked, 'Who is in charge in Berlin - Bethmann Hollweg [the Chancellor] or Moltke [the Chief of Staff]?' At the end, however, he was persuaded (correctly) that the Blank Check' was still valid.

2. Serbia accepted nearly all of the terms of the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum. The 'doves' in Vienna were keen to accept. The German General Staff was horrified at the prospect of being cheated of their 'jolly little war' and used their influence to strengthen the 'hawks'. They did this largely without consultation with their own government.

All this is well documented. If one puts the German and Austrian documents together, a truly devastating picture emerges.

The 'mechanisms of guilt' aren't those that people focused on in the 1920s, when most of the key documents were in German hands, and Americans in particular were inclined to say that all the European combattants were to blame, though probably in varying degrees.

Questions like who mobilized first or declared war first aren't very relevant. Nor are the various -isms like nationalism, Imperialism and so on.

To cap it all, the German General Staff had decided in December 1912 to use the next suitable Euopean crisis to unleash a European war. The meeting was called behind the backs of the politicians. Even the Chancellor was not invited and was not informed of the decisions. Unlike with other major decisions there was no follow-up work, so it's possible they had second thoughts - or that they didn't take this decision at face value, and one needs to be somewhat cautious.

For some reason, popular histories in the U.S. are very keen to deny German guilt for World War 1 and instead repeat long discredited views of the period c. 1925-1960.

See this book by David Fromkin:

• Europe's Last Summer: Who started the Great War in 1914?(2004) Special:Booksources, Special:Booksources(paperback)

Answer 3

It is debatable whether Germany started World War 1. They caused strain between countries, had a militeristic Kaiser and wanted to establish an Empire. But on the other hand there were many other factors e.g. colonial rivalry and the alliance system.

MAIN stands for military, alliance, imperialism, and nationalism. All the countries in the entounte and alliance had these and after the archduke was assassinated by the black hand in Serbia, it was a war waiting to happen. People percieve Germany as the ignition to the war, but thi is because of the guilt clause France and Britain made tem sign.(oh those boche and Nazis)
Germany's intentions in WW1 were to keep the Serbia and Austria-Hungary conflict localized. They had no intention of going to war with the world. Other countries became involved over time.

Answer 4

Germany was totally to blame, it wouldn't have started without Hitler doing what he did, no one could have stopped him without military action by the time they realized what was happening. Japan was another aggressor but they almost certainly wouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbour if Germany wasn't fighting a war in Europe.

Answer 5

Short answer: The Treaty of Versailles forced them to take the blame.

I apologize ahead of time for the lengthy explanation.

We have 4 MAIN reasons.

Military Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism

First off we have the military casue. Germany was building up a massive army, which of course made all of Europe feel threatened and so they began to build up their armies as well to prepare their own defenses (in case Germany tried to pull off Napoleons grand scheme) and so all of the greater powers of Europe were on a standby for war.

One of the best examples of this was the navy issue between Great Britain (GB) and Germany, where Germany tried to out build and out gun the Brits at sea and this was a huge threat as GB had the best navy in all of Europe and so with Germany challenging that superior position GB also mobilized and as you can see its a big snowball effect.

Secondly, alliances. Bismarck (the German Chancellor before WW1) was worried about Germany's security and so he made alliances with France, Russia and Austria. All three which were not on best terms with each other. To further the complications he double crossed all three of the countries by making secret alliances with the other two. So he had a lovely spider web of alliances keeping him and his Germany safe. However, when he got booted from his seat by Wilhelm II (the new German Tsar/emperor at the time)/ Wilhelm only cared about expansion and keeping Germany's "spot in the sun". He ended up severing all the alliances except the one with Austria. This made France and Russia feel threatened and so they partially mobilized. (Russia and France ALSO had their own secret alliance)

Another thing to note for alliances, when Germany did declare war on France and marched to its borders the German generals decided to cross through Belgium, what they did not know was that there was a secret treaty in place which declared that: England could, but did not need to come to Belgium's aid if its neutral state was challenged. England chose to respond and so with a secret alliance England was dragged into the war. So as you can see it was a mess of alliances that brought the war to such a scale.

Luckily the last two are short.

Thirdly was the imperialistic system, in which every country wanted more land! The only reason Germany ever did mobilize was to take more land and so with this came the threats and dangers of taking over other countries.

Last was Nationalism. Everyone wanted to have the best country and so when the cry for a short and glorious victory came so did the troops to fuel the war. If it wasn't for Germany's Wilhelm and his ego there would have never been a military build up and expansion idea.

So to sum it all up.

Germany began to recruit masses of men for the army and began building up a military economy scaring everyone else into doing the same, this then snowballed.

Germany made and then double crossed several alliances and also violated Belgium's and GBs alliance. Which in the end left it with Austria and later on Italy against GB, France, Russia and later Canada and the States.

Germany wanted more land and to get more land and in that century you either trade for it or you take it over by force. Wilhelm decided force which of course started up the mobilization

Lastly, Germany wanted to be glorious, amazing and the epitome of Europe. Which after Napoleon had already done was looked down upon by the greater powers of Europe

And so you have it, email me for question: horbo@msn.com

Sources

http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Bismarck

Social 20IB course

Answer 6

It was partly Germany's fault but they did not start the war. The war was caused by Siberian terrorist assassinating the Austria-Hungry prince Franz Ferdinand. Serbia refused one of the 12 Austria-Hungry's demands that they made. So Austria -Hungry declared war on Serbia. Russia joined the war on Serbia's side, so Germany joined Austria-Hungry. Germany invaded France as they were allied to Russia, through Belgium. As Belgium were allied with Britain, Britain joined the war.

Answer 7

Germans are not "to blame" for World War I, because 'blame' is when you suspect somebody in which you do not know for sure whether they did the thing you are blaming them for.

Germans 'are to blame' for WWI, because they started it! They obviously fought with a country for ownage therefore that country will fight back and could have involved other countries and eventually starting the World War.

Hope this helped

Answer 8

They weren't it was just France trying to get them back after they humiliated them a few decades before

Answer 9

Hitler and Germany was entirely responsible for the start of World War 2 when Hitler invaded Poland.