Germany didn’t want to face a war on two fronts, so it devised the schifflen plan. The schlifflen plan was to invade France through undefended Belgium and attack Paris before the French army moved out from the Franco Germanic border. The Germans could then concentrate on the slower Russian army to the north, and win the war. The British had a treaty with Belgium, but the Germans didn’t expect Britain to oblige it, as it dated back around eighty years, the Germans didn’t want war with Britain because Britain had the largest empire in the world and much wider resources to fight with. Britain however, made it clear it would defend Neutral Belgium from the Germans threat. Britain felt it was necessary that Germany did not establish an empire in Europe, because its trade with Europe would suffer, as Germany would not trade with its rival, and the growing German empire would threaten the empire. The German navy was massing in the North Sea as well, and could wipe out British merchant shipping very quickly, the Royal Navy was very afraid that Germany could control the largest navy, and wanted to take action against the Kaisers navy in the North Sea.
Russia was one of the world biggest and poorest empires. The country had no major industry, and couldn’t export or import for more than half the year, as all the ports were frozen over. Farming was also very difficult as the land was poor and cold, Russia needed year round ports to import food, and to create industry, Russia needed the Balkans to build ports and to move its ships out of in emergencies. The Austrian Hungarians also wanted the Balkans to restore stability to its crumbling empire. When combined with the alliance system, this conflict was the major leading point to war. Tsar Nicholas did not want to fight a war with the Germans, the Kaiser was his cousin, and his country was already suffering. Many different people lived in Russia and revolution was stirring in the country, many people wanted the Tsars to be removed from power, and Nicholas was afraid that if war broke out, Russia would suffer, and become less able to maintain stability. The Russian army was the biggest in the dispute, but was poorly trained and equipped, and some off the troops did not even have rifles. If the Tsar didn’t mobilise quickly enough, then the Germans would easily defeat the poorly trained Russians in an invasion. It was vital that the Russians mobilised quickly.
Kaiser Wilhelm wanted a German empire to match that of the British and French empires, Germany was a relatively new country, and didn’t have the international or European respect that Britain and France had. One of the Kaisers personal ambitions was to build an overseas and European empire up, and to make Germany one of the great powers. The Kaiser made many efforts to do this, and by 1914, Germany produced more steel than Britain, and as much coal, German industry was thriving, and the Kaiser encouraged it, he then used the big industry to create his giant navy and army. The Kaiser wanted the other countries to respect Germany as a major power, but instead he became surrounded by enemies who feared his empire building. The Kaiser encouraged Nationalism and war in Germany, so that he could recruit many men when he decided to invade Europe. The Kaiser agreed to help Austria Hungary so that he could use the war to create an empire in Europe, if he could create an excuse to declare war on Russia, then he could conquer Russia’s disorganized armies, and create a massive empire in eastern Europe, the Kaiser was betting on France and Britain not getting involved at first.
The Kaiser was probably one of the most major influences of the First World War, and I think that if the Kaiser had not existed the war would not have escalated to a World War, but I do not think that the Kaiser was the most major cause of the First World War. The Kaiser wanted to build up empires, but he did not start the war himself, without the Kaiser, the war would have been simply a land dispute between Russia and Austria Hungary over Serbia, whilst this could have been a large war, it would not have been world wide and Germany, Britain and France would not have had to have had became involved. It was the Kaiser who agreed to help Austria Hungary in its conflict with Russia, and the Kaiser who encouraged the nationalism and the war in Germany; the Kaiser built up the German armies and navy, the Balkans were the major cause of the outbreak of war, but it was the Kaiser who influenced this outbreak by encouraging Austria Hungary to invade Serbia, by offering his support. If the Kaiser and Germany had refused to help Austria Hungary against Russia, then Austria Hungary would not have invaded Serbia, and there would have been no conflict with Russia, so France would never have got involved to defend Russia, the Schifflen plan would never have been devised and Belgium would never have been invaded, Britain would not then have became involved, and there would have been no war. The world war was not caused entirely by the Kaiser but could not have existed without him. This was because Germany made up the most important part of the triple alliance, and the Kaiser caused this alliance to become so important. If the Kaiser had refused to help Austria Hungary then there would have been no war. On this assumption, the Emperor of Austria Hungary could be described as the most major cause, as it was as much his thirst for vengeance, which sparked the war as the Kaisers want for an empire. If Franz Joseph had not been so anxious to control the Balkans then he would not have needed German Support and the war would similarly not have started. The whole world war was sparked by the conflict in the Balkans and while other causes applied they would not have been able to spark a war on their own. The First World War could even be described to have been caused entirely by Slav nationalism, as Franz Joseph’s only need for the Balkans was that the Slavs in his own empire were breaking up the empire. If this problem had been taken away then the roles might have been reversed as Russia invading Serbia for the ports, and Serbia calling on Austria Hungary for help, and the same world war resulting.