Who is to blame for the start of WW1?

[Sun Wukong]

Germany confidently built their army, knowing that Russia had damaged forces from Japan, so Japan is still responsible for the WWI aggression.

And we can blame Japan having the capability of defeating Russia due to its modernisation. Therefore WWI should be blamed on America, and in specific, Commodore Perry.

But obviously that wouldn't have happened if the French hadn't sold the Louisiana territory, so it's Napoleon's fault.

[Napkiraly]

And we can blame Japan having the capability of defeating Russia due to its modernisation. Therefore WWI should be blamed on America, and in specific, Commodore Perry.

But obviously that wouldn't have happened if the French hadn't sold the Louisiana territory, so it's Napoleon's fault.

And of course Napoleon wouldn't have gained power if it weren't for the French Revolution. Which wouldn't have been caused by, wait shit, two branches are about to be formed: a) the American Revolution b) the Enlightenment

a): Which wouldn't have been caused if Britain hadn't raised taxes which wouldn't have had to occur if Prussia hadn't started the Seven Years War AND the American colonies hadn't started attacking French forts, etc etc etc down human history and later primate history and later mammal history and later to the primordial soup.

b): Which wouldn't have occurred if it it hadn't been for the growth of intellectualism which wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the Renaissance which wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the works of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, which couldn't have been inspired by the Persians, Egyptians, etc which wouldn't have been able to create such works if it wasn't for agriculture and agriculture couldn't have formed if there were no humans etc etc etc until we reach the primordial soup.

Conclusion: We should blame WWI on Earth for being a fuckboy planet that supports life on it.

[Australian rePublic]

I think it's a bit more complicated than "it's his fault"

[Conserative Morality]

Germany confidently built their army, knowing that Russia had damaged forces from Japan, so Japan is still responsible for the WWI aggression.

If you imagine that the German military based their assessment of Russian military strength on the mismanagement of a campaign located on the ass-end of Siberia that they covertly supported ten years before WWI...

I really don't know what to say, other than German military buildup was already full-steam-ahead by the time of the Russo-Japanese War.

[Forsher]

My general impression is that no-one didn't want a war enough, and perhaps, some naivety about the consequences of the last fifty or so years of diplomacy and imperialism.

But, really, I just stick to the ostrich theory.

[Conserative Morality]

My general impression is that no-one didn't want a war enough, and perhaps, some naivety about the consequences of the last fifty or so years of diplomacy and imperialism.

But, really, I just stick to the ostrich theory.

As good a theory as any. I remember it being said that in the days leading up to WWI, things were thought to be inevitable, but not serious in Austria, and serious, but not inevitable in Germany.

People see what they want to see.

[Gim]

And we can blame Japan having the capability of defeating Russia due to its modernisation. Therefore WWI should be blamed on America, and in specific, Commodore Perry.

But obviously that wouldn't have happened if the French hadn't sold the Louisiana territory, so it's Napoleon's fault.

Yeah, the French and the Japanese.

[Napkiraly]

But obviously that wouldn't have happened if the French hadn't sold the Louisiana territory, so it's Napoleon's fault.

Yeah, the French and the Japanese.

Wrong, the universe. It's the universe's fault.

[Gim]

Yeah, the French and the Japanese.

Wrong, the universe. It's the universe's fault.

France and Japan are a part of the universe, the evil parts. So, yes, you're on the same page as I am.

[Aelex]

I dunno, considering the buildup of the entente at France's behest, it seems to me that they never really let their revanchist dreams die.

Well, the creation of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France was more a reaction of the latter to the politic of diplomatic exclusion that Germany tried to impose on her after the Franco-Prussian war by fear that France might try to take back Alsace-Lorraine, and, even if it was indeed linked to a fear and hartred of the German shared by both France and Britain it was, more than that, the desire to avoid any Crisis or conflict over their ever-growing colony that caused it's creation.

Now, the apparition of the Triple Entente itself was more linked to the fact that Russia was badly handled as an ally by the German and that the clash between Austria-Hungary and her over the slavic lands were so frequent and so hard that it pushed her to search other ally to be able to defend herself in case of a war.

[Nazis in Space]

Germany confidently built their army, knowing that Russia had damaged forces from Japan, so Japan is still responsible for the WWI aggression.

If you imagine that the German military based their assessment of Russian military strength on the mismanagement of a campaign located on the ass-end of Siberia that they covertly supported ten years before WWI...

I really don't know what to say, other than German military buildup was already full-steam-ahead by the time of the Russo-Japanese War.

Eh. Sizable chunks of the eligible population just flat-out weren't drafted for their compulsory service in the decades before the war, and Germany shortened said compulsory service from three to two years (For comparison, France maintained three). Even the infamous naval arms race was slowing down (Three, two, four ships of the line laid down between 1912- 1914, vs. four, three, five in the preceding three years).

If Germany was 'Arming up', it was doing a pretty damn poor job of it, given that it remained considerably below its capabilities, slowing down its naval production, and just flat-out reducing the scale of its army.

Doesn't exactly suggest a country crazy-intent on going to war, either, all things considered.

[Old Tyrannia]

All nations involved, honestly. Except the US. We're innocent.

Asia wasn't involved in WWI, except for belligerent Japan.

"Belligerent" Japan entered the war because it was obligated to do so by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the event that its ally, the United Kingdom, found itself at war with more than one other power.

Russia at least if we're considering the "start" as the expansion of the war from regional to continent wide. Didn't exactly help that they were using a hypocritical excuse to do so. If they were so worried about the treatment of Slav's explain their treatment of the ones underneath them.

Heavens forbid Russia decides to protect their ally from being pummeled after said ally gave into a very humiliating ultimatum and being quite sick and tired of Austro-Hungary and Germany refusing to hold any sort of conference to avert war.

Russia was trying to avoid a war during the July Crisis, since they knew they weren't prepared. Germany on the other hand was hoping to start a war, since they viewed it as an opportune moment to eliminate their main rivals before they surpassed Germany in military capability (France and Russia).

Point of order: Germany wasn't hoping to start a war. Certain elements in the German military were, but the Kaiser himself actually went to great lengths to avoid a war, his prior diplomatic posturing notwithstanding. Russia contributed to the outbreak of the war by mobilising its military, which alarmed the Germans, but at the same time the Tsar's desire to avoid war is clear from the Willy-Nicky telegrams and the pressure Russia applied on Serbia to accept Austria-Hungary's demands.

[Conserative Morality]

Eh. Sizable chunks of the eligible population just flat-out weren't drafted for their compulsory service in the decades before the war, and Germany shortened said compulsory service from three to two years (For comparison, France maintained three). Even the infamous naval arms race was slowing down (Three, two, four ships of the line laid down between 1912- 1914, vs. four, three, five in the preceding three years).

If Germany was 'Arming up', it was doing a pretty damn poor job of it, given that it remained considerably below its capabilities, slowing down its naval production, and just flat-out reducing the scale of its army.

Doesn't exactly suggest a country crazy-intent on going to war, either, all things considered.

More in reference that the German arms buildup was going on in 1905 and the Russo-Japanese War had basically no effect on it or its aggression or supposed excess thereof in WW1.

[Gim]

"Belligerent" Japan entered the war because it was obligated to do so by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the event that its ally, the United Kingdom, found itself at war with more than one other power.

Yes, and Japan was belligerent and had malice, but did not contribute much, except to cause war against Russia.
Of course, after that, they started going Nazist by trying to invade innocent nations.

[Sun Wukong]

"Belligerent" Japan entered the war because it was obligated to do so by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the event that its ally, the United Kingdom, found itself at war with more than one other power.

Yes, and Japan was belligerent and had malice, but did not contribute much, except to cause war against Russia.
Of course, after that, they started going Nazist by trying to invade innocent nations.

It's no small task to make me want to defend Imperial Japan, but you sure gave it your all, didn't you?

I mean really. "Nazist?" "Innocent nations?"

[Old Tyrannia]

"Belligerent" Japan entered the war because it was obligated to do so by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the event that its ally, the United Kingdom, found itself at war with more than one other power.

Yes, and Japan was belligerent and had malice, but did not contribute much, except to cause war against Russia.
Of course, after that, they started going Nazist by trying to invade innocent nations.

Japan was not belligerent. It entered the war because it was obligated to do so in order to assist its ally. Whatever else the Japanese might have been guilty of in that time period, their actions in the First World War were entirely beyond reproach and they certainly played no role in starting it.

[Roski]

Its Lucy's fault

She helped us advance to the human race, and if she didnt, we wouldnt have been here to fight world war 1

So therem

[United Terra Prime]

Serbia they armed and trained the black hand terrorist group that assassinated the archduke and gave Austria-Hungary an excuse to send Serbia an ultimatum.

[Gim]

Its Lucy's fault

She helped us advance to the human race, and if she didnt, we wouldnt have been here to fight world war 1

So therem

It's Eve's fault, really. I apologize but I have a different view of the origin of mankind.

[Coccygia]

Germany, mainly, I would still say. Germany had been planning another attack on France almost since the end of the Franco-Prussian War. All they wanted was an excuse. Austria no doubt had its own reasons.

[The Black Forrest]

Germany, mainly, I would still say. Germany had been planning another attack on France almost since the end of the Franco-Prussian War. All they wanted was an excuse. Austria no doubt had its own reasons.

Ifrean did it!

Nice grave dig. Is two years a record?

[Ifreann]

Germany, mainly, I would still say. Germany had been planning another attack on France almost since the end of the Franco-Prussian War. All they wanted was an excuse. Austria no doubt had its own reasons.

Ifrean did it!

Nice grave dig. Is two years a record?

Sir, you have impugned by honour, and I demand satisfaction. I challenge you to a duel.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Germany, mainly, I would still say. Germany had been planning another attack on France almost since the end of the Franco-Prussian War. All they wanted was an excuse. Austria no doubt had its own reasons.

Ifrean did it!

Nice grave dig. Is two years a record?

Two years?

Not even, I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one 5+ year grave dig.

[Audioslavia]

Germany, mainly, I would still say. Germany had been planning another attack on France almost since the end of the Franco-Prussian War. All they wanted was an excuse. Austria no doubt had its own reasons.

"Please do not delve down into the depths to revive the lurching discussions of eld. If it's been a good couple of weeks, for this forum in any case, let it rest in peace rather than dredging up its bones for another shake."

This thread is eighty weeks or so past its use-by-date. Please put the bones back in the box.