To What extent was Germany Responsible for the outbreak of World War One?

The first 200 words of this essay...

To What extent was Germany Responsible for the outbreak of World War One?

Kate Gilbert 13WY

The War Guilt clause has been called the 'historical controversy par excellence1'. At the end of the war article 231 explicitly placed the guilt for 'all loss and damage' of the war on the defeated Germany and her allies. This clause was bitterly denied by Germany and has been a subject of keen debate ever since. The issuing of the 'blank cheque' to Austria in 1914, their strong "will to war", the aggressive Schlieffen Plan, the arms race and vital miscalculations on behalf of the German leaders have all been cited as causes for WW1 that were solely Germany's fault. In the face of this almost overwhelming evidence against Germany other factors that led to war must be examined in which Germany played little, or no, part. These consisted of the trouble in the Balkans, the growth of nationalism, the denial of self determination to minority groups, the alliance system, traditional imperial rivalries, secret diplomacy and the popular theories of Social Darwinism.

If the war guilt clause is to be believed Germany and her allies were totally responsible for war,