The Outbreak of War in 1914

The Outbreak of War in 1914

This question is one of much controversy; many historians would argue

it was down to Germany and the ways the Kaiser ruled. But others may

say that it was due to the actions of the Black Hand Group. In this

essay I intend to look at all the points and eventually come to a

verdict on who was to blame for the outbreak of war in 1914.

Maybe one country alone is not entirely responsible for the outbreak?

One of the causes of war was the alliance system. How can we blame one

country alone as the alliance systems were built up of three countries

in each alliance? Surely all the countries involved (Britain, France,

Russia, Germany, Austria Hungary and Italy) should equally share the

blame as by joining an alliance they were building up tension, which

would finally cause the outbreak of War.

In this point there are two countries that could be blamed for the

outbreak, these are Britain and Germany. One of the main build-ups of

tension was due to Kaiser Wilhelm announcing his intention to build up

a powerful German Navy. Was Germany wrong to do this? Shouldn't they

be able to have a strong navy just like other major countries in

Europe?

I say Britain is to blame as maybe they were too suspicious of

Germany. Maybe what Kaiser Wilhelm, speaking with the Daily Telegraph

in 1908 was true. "You English are like mad bulls; you see red

everywhere! What on earth has come over you, that you should heap on

such suspicion? If Britain was not as suspicious as she was, then

maybe there would not have been so much tension between the two

countries. Or was Britain right to be suspicious? Did Germany have

other reasons for building up her Navy? Anyhow Britain was not waiting

around to find out. They launched a new kind of warship know as the

HMS Dreadnought in 1906. By launching this new kind of warship,

Britain was raising the stakes and consequences of this more tension