Could war have been avoided in 1914?

Answer 1

War could have been avoided in 1914. Had Austria Hungary behaved with more diplomacy and tact following the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand, none of the fighting would likely have taken place.

Answer 2

WWI, also known as the Great War, may have been delayed, had not Russia been eliminated from the naval arms race, due to their defeat during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Tsar Nicolas of Russia was a third cousin to the German Kaiser. The Kaiser wanted to build up his navy of Dreadnaughts (battleships); this, in order to challenge Britain's Grand Fleet, sometime in the future. But his cousin "Nicky" was also in the race, and an up and coming competitor...Russia possessed 3 battleship fleets by the time of the 1904 war.

The Kaiser "goaded" (urged) his cousin on, all the time telling him that it would be an easy win, and that Germany would support him in anyway that he could. Germany utlimately did assist the Russians in the form of re-supply at sea (coal), but it was not nearly as much support as the Russian battleship fleet needed, largely due to Britain's control of the seas (Britain was a non-combatant ally to Japan during this war).

The ulterior motive of the Kaiser, was of course, the elimination of competition from his cousin if he lost the war; and a strong ally if his cousin won. Tsar Nicolas lost his war, and two of his battleship fleets; Germany was now free to compete against Britain alone, and immediately set about building Dreadnaughts to challenge England...they were ready by 1914.