Why was Kaiser Wilhelm II blamed for most of the fault of World War 1?

Answer 1

If he had not given the Austro-Hungarians carte-blanche to deal with the Serbs as they thought fit, it is unlikely that the whole of Europe would have been drawn into a conflict at that time. He forgot Bismark's dictum that the Balkans 'weren't worth the life of one Pomeranian Grenadier' But the war would have started sooner or later over some other pretext or the other.

Answer 2

The causes of World War I, which began in central Europe in July 1914, included many intertwined factors, such as the conflicts and hostility of the four decades leading up to the war. Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism played major roles in the conflict as well. However, the immediate origins of the war lay in the decisions taken by statesmen and generals during the July Crisis of 1914, casus belli for which was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife by Gavrilo Princip, an irredentist Serb.[1] The crisis came after a long and difficult series of diplomatic clashes between the Great Powers (Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria-Hungarian Empire and Russia) over European and colonial issues in the decade before 1914 that had left tensions high. In turn these diplomatic clashes can be traced to changes in the balance of power in Europe since 1867.[2] The more immediate cause for the war was tensions over territory in the Balkans. Austria-Hungary competed with Serbia and Russia for territory and influence in the region and they pulled the rest of the Great Powers into the conflict through their various alliances and treaties. The topic of the causes of World War I is one of the most studied in all of world history. Scholars have differed significantly in their interpretations of the event.

Answer 3

He was the figurehead of the German nation, and encouraged the growing Prussian militarism in the run up to WW1. So although he wasn't responsible for the policies that led to the war (all the Great Powers have some responsibility for that), he look like he was well up for a fight, and that. Innit?

Answer 4

RDenig got it right - again.

The Kaiser advised Austria-Hungary to go to war with Serbia in retaliation for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferndinand.

So...
Austria-Hungary mobilizes its armies against Serbia.
Russia mobilizes against Austria-Hungary to protect Serbia.
Germany mobilizes against Russia to protect Austria-Hungary.
France mobilizes against Germany to protect Russia.

Thus, entangling alliances involve the major European powers in a war that could have been avoided if the Kaiser had advised Austria-Hungary not to go to war with Serbia.

Answer 5

Mainly because he lost the war and also what ice and edneg said.

Answer 6

Every war needs a scapegoat.

Answer 7

because he was called kaiser and thats just dumb