Why was Germany responsible for WWI?

Question

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Answer 1

They were not responsible for World War One. If you want to lay the blame on one country it would be Austria. After Prince Ferdinand was killed, Austria was the one that invaded Serbia, resulting in a huge chain of alliance obligations that ended up putting all of Europe at war. Germany was simply a bigger threat and was more aggressive.

If Austria had been more reasonable and tried to deal with the one lone Serb that actually fired the shot instead of blaming the whole nation, the war may not have happened.

Answer 2

Once the Serbians assasinated Arch-duke Ferdinand of Austria, Germany immediatly got involved. The power struggle in Austria could have been contained with-in Austrian politics; but Germany got involved. A chain reaction began of nations getting on board with nations and eventually all the leading power of the Globe were involved. Russia and France only got involved because Germany had gotten involved. Then bulgaria and Italy got involved because of previously positive relations with Germany and Austria. England got involved once Germany made head-way in France. It was a chain reaction...

Answer 3

John E has a nice summation, but there was plenty of blame to go around. I think Czar Nicholas was the dunce of the bunch.
After Austria declared war on Serbia, Russia DID NOT have to get involved. It was STUPID to do so. As soon as Russia began to mobilize its army, Germany felt threatened. The longstanding plan of the German high command was to attack France at the start of any major war threat from Russia (since Russia and France had an alliance which threatened Germany). Their plan , the Schlieffen plan to avert a dreaded two front war, was to take out France in six weeks, then rush their armies by train to the east to meet the Russians who would need more time to get their army to the German border. Germany could have waited, but they were paranoid
and also confidant they could win quickly against France as they had in 1870.
Germany took the blame because they lost, but Austria and Russia started the big show. I would blame Austria, Russia, and Germany in that order - only the Czar was clearly the idiot who could not see that mobilizing would obviously start the chain reaction leading to a huge and unnecessary war.
Added note - I usually don't call people names with the hindsight that our future perspective offers us, but there were plenty of clues that Nicholas should have read. He was not known to be an intelligent man, and he was the ONE MAN in charge of Russia. One man rule of an entire nation without checks and balances is so dangerous historically, and WWI was such a useless tragedy. It was WWI that led to WWII, so it was double jeopardy - and millions upon million suffered and died as a result. Criminal stupidity by the Czar. He deserved to be shot, but his son and four daughters did not.
Just my opinion as one who despises useless warfare.

Answer 4

Well, they really weren't. After the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo the Austrians declared war on Serbia and Germany had treaties or pacts or something with Austria calling for mutual support, so Germany did, too.

This is not to say that they had not been saber rattling for years and not to say also that they weren't eager for war, but they just took advantage and joined a war that was happening anyway.

Answer 5

Yes, they did, and WWII too.