To what extent was Germany responsible for WWI?

by kavishasharma (student)

Many countries were involved in WWI, Germany being one of them. It is debatable as to whether Germany was responsible for the outbreak of WWI as Fritz Fischer would argue it or rather the responsibility of individual countries such as Britain, Russia, France, Austria-Hungary and the Balkans collectively. However, this essay Germany was responsible to a significantly large extent for WWI due to underlying reasons that built up over the course of time that led up to WWI.

Fritz Fischer is a historian who argues that Germany’s desire for world power was the reason for the outbreak of WWI. Germany had plans for a war before the 1914 crisis and merely used the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as an excuse to put them into practice. Germany also deliberately encouraged Austrian war plans to provoke a crisis in which it could solve the problems of ‘encirclement’ by France and Russia, dominate Europe and expand its territories. France and Russia signed a full military defensive alliance in 1892-95 which opened up the possibility of a two-front war, given Germany’s geographical location between these two very powerful enemies which it would be likely to lose. In addition, France resented the defeat of 1870-71 and the seizure of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany. Hence, the French had a desire for revenge which Germany had to be constantly aware of. As a result, Germany developed the Schlieffen Plan which involved a rapid thrust through Belgium into northern France, an attack which would lead to victory, after which forces would be taken meet the threat from Russia on the assumption that they would be slower to mobilize. Germany had signed to a defensive alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 and this support did not die out; in 1909, Germany lent support to Austrian policy in the Balkans, alienating Russia. If Russia drove Austria out of Serbia and established itself in the Balkans, Germany’s security would be undermined. Furthermore, if France gave support and retook Alsace-Lorraine, this would make it worse. Germany risked war against France and Russia to support Austria in hope that action against Serbian terrorism would not lead to a general war when Russia would be stronger, Germany would rather bring about a swift victory on the basis of a well-trained and well-equipped German army following a careful plan.

Germany also sparked a crisis where he seemed to be challenging the colonial friendship treaty of 1904 between France and Britain by issuing a statement of support for Moroccan independence. This was then followed by the formation of the Triple Entente, which brought forth Germany’s threat of ‘encirclement.’ Germany did not then stop at that. A German gunboat arrived in Agadir when there was a local uprising. German naval action challenged French troops, which also caused anxiety in Britain as they feared Germany wanted to set up a naval base in Agadir. German decision on naval expansion since 1898 resulted ...

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Fischer was the first historian given access to the East German archives in the 1950s, where he found a document entitled the September Program. The plan detailed what Germany would gain if it won the war, which made it obvious that they were expecting to. Fischer argues that the existence of such a document meant that Germany had planned to start the war. However, the document was only produced when the war had already begun. As a result, such an assumption is not fully justified. It is arguable, though, that the document proved to a large extent that Germany was prepared to play an aggressive role in the war instead of taking a defensive stand.

However, the roles that other countries played in the outbreak of the war must also be taken into consideration. Revisionist historians such as Sydney Bradshaw Fay argue that all European powers should share the blame for the war. These include countries such as Britain, Russia, France, Austria-Hungary and the Balkans.

Niall Ferguson blames the UK for causing WWI, using counterfactual history to argue that Britain should not have interfered in 1914 and Germany would have won a short war which would have denied existence of WWI. Sir Edward Grey might also have misinterpreted Germany’s ambition and Expressionism and influenced the British parliament into a declaration of war, arguing that German’s aims were essentially defensive. However, Germany’s Weltpolitik meant that Anglo-German conflict was a real possibility as it challenged Britain’s claim to be one of the greatest governing races, showing that it was prepared to play an aggressive role from the start, which is supported in its battle plan created by Alfred von Schlieffen.

Russia was also involved through an alliance network through its allies of France and Britain, and this encouraged them to act as it had the assurance that these nations would support the Russians. Furthermore, it was humiliated in the Bosnian Crisis in 1908, at being forced to back down in supporting Serbia, having to accept the Austrian annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Whilst this gave reason for Russia to be resentful of this humiliation, the Austrian annexation was backed by Germany in the first place. Russia’s mobilization of its military was also seen as an act of war by Germany. It might have been that they were looking for a reason to declare war and used the Russian military technicalities for this even though that this did not necessarily mean that the country had an intent to wage war.

France had a military plan known as Plan XVII which involved an attack decisively and robustly on the eastern frontier, regaining at once the honour of the French army and the territories of Alsace and Lorraine. Nationalism in France was strong as opinion in France supported the return of Alsace-Lorraine and their confidence their plan of attack made war a risk worth taking. They were also involved through the alliance system with Britain and Russia in which France knew that she could rely on them for support, seeing its opportunity to reclaim its lost lands. However, Germany’s first seizure of Alsace-Lorraine sparked this revenge in France which would only give reason for France to be concerned by Germany’s growing power and challenge to the French empire.

Austria-Hungary declared a preventative war on Serbia for its failure to control terrorism. It believed that with the expansion and modernization of its armed forces, Austria would be able to manage a quick, decisive victory. Furthermore, it wanted the prevention of Serbian nationalism spreading as it would mean further threats to Austrian control of Bosnia and the loss of Bosnia might threaten the whole Austrian Empire. However, despite these being important reasons for Austria’s involvement in the war, a significant part of their actions was carried out because of their reliance on the Triple Alliance and particularly on links with Germany which guaranteed its support.

The unrest in the Balkans played a significant part in the outbreak of the war. The Balkan Wars of 1912-13 resulted in militant anti-Austrian groups in Serbia which caused Austria to view Serbia as a threat and an enemy. It also caused the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand to take place which was the trigger event for the war as Austria responded with an ultimatum that Serbia refused to meet as it relied on support from Russia, who was also allied with France whilst Austria counted on the support of Germany. Austria’s approach to Germany for support against Serbia and Russia planted the idea that was a possibility. This was encouraged by Russia’s mobilization in response to a likely conflict at the rejection of Austria’s ultimatum. The events that took place in the Balkans gives significant reason to Austria-Hungary and Russia and Serbia to wage war, and it can be argued that it was because of Austria-Hungary’s reluctance to act alone and its alliance with Germany that led to escalation. However, it was ultimately Germany and not Austria-Hungary that made the first declaration of war on Russia, leading to its network of allies of France and Britain to get involved too.

Although there were other countries with their own respective reasons to be involved in the outbreak of the war too, it was the German’s vulnerability to attack, fear of encirclement, naval expansion, alliance with Austria-Hungary and tension between France who had a military alliance Russia that caused them to be responsible in causing WWI.