Did Germany Cause World War I? A Historical Analysis
Germany’s Responsibility in World War I: A Complex Issue
Can Germany be blamed for World War I? On the one hand, Germany is partly to blame. I will show this in the following arguments:
The First Moroccan Crisis
This crisis was provoked by the Germans with an aim to cause tensions between France and Britain, who had just concluded an alliance. The result, however, was quite the opposite. Instead of ‘softening’ Britain and bringing it closer to the Central Powers, the Moroccan Crises further reinforced the Entente Cordiale and increased British hostility towards Germany.
The Accession of Wilhelm II
Another argument is the accession of Wilhelm II to the German throne. After this, Germany’s policy became more aggressive. The emperor dismissed Otto von Bismarck as chancellor. He also refused to renew the treaty with Russia that maintained peace with Russia and Austria-Hungary, as well as isolated France. In this way, he helped to create an alliance between France and Russia that became the future base of the Triple Entente.
The Blank Check
The last argument is the Blank Check, an infamous episode in the history of the First World War; the first truly fatal error made by Germany – a promise of unconditional support for whatever action Austria-Hungary might take to punish Serbia.
Factors Absolving Germany of Sole Responsibility
But on the other hand, Germany is not solely to blame. For example:
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
A group called Young Bosnia led to the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife while they were visiting Sarajevo. The dual monarchy accused Serbia of backing the murder. This did not eventually cause the First World War. Austria-Hungary was determined to remove the threat of Serbia before the murder of its presumed heir.
The Balkan Wars
Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and Bulgaria were part of what is known as the Balkan League, a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire. After months, the allies conquered the territory and divided it among themselves. Bulgaria turned against its allies of Serbia and Greece for the participation of Macedonia. The Bulgarians were defeated. The success of this league shocked the majority of powers in Europe. Austria-Hungary saw Serbia as a rival, and a small neighbor of the Balkans in the future, a core of Slavs in the south. This war made the Austro-Hungarians more determined so that there was no greater power of Serbia.
The July Ultimatum
Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia. Vienna did the impossible for Serbia to be able to form a war with its neighboring country since they had killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Later, the Hungarians invaded Serbia, beginning the First World War.
The Russo-Japanese War
The rivalry between Russia and Japan formed a small war called the Russo-Japanese War. The result of this war caused the Russians to lose almost the entire fleet of the Baltic and Pacific. It also generated a great crisis in Russia, which provoked the Russian Revolution. This war put an end to Russia’s ambitions in the Far East, and as a consequence, the Tsarist government turned its attention to the Balkans, which intensified the old Austrian-Hungarian rivalry in the Balkans.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Germany is not solely responsible for the First World War. In all the arguments presented, Germany did not do enough to cause this world war alone. This war arose due to various imperial conflicts originated by rivalries of economic order, political power, and by the distribution of the colonies, especially in Africa.