Who is to blame for the start of WW1?

[The Alexanderians]

Russia. Its Russia's fault.

*cries*

[Infected Mushroom]

Austria-Hungary declared war, its takes a declaration (or an invasion/intrusion) by a state actor to start a war... therefore, the blame lies with Austria-Hungary.

I think a lot of people are over-complicating this.

Whether or not Austria-Hungary has moral culpability is a different question. In terms of the form though, there's no question the legal blame lies with Austria.

Why did Austria-Hungary attacked? Because they knew that the German would support them.
Why so? Because of complex alliances.
Why they existed? Because Bismarck tried to cockblock France and it backfired on him.
Why did he tried to do so? Because he knew that stealing Alsace-Lorraine would provoke an unreconiciliable inimity between the two nations.
And that's how you manage to trace back WW1 to it's real roots. Bismarck's stupid policy.
So, from the root of the conflict to it's evolution, in definitive, the real responsible of WW1 is in fact mostly Allemagne and no one else.

it doesn't matter why they did it, they (Austria-Hungary) did it

and had they not done it, World War I as we know it would not have happened

whether they were justified or not is a separate question

[Renewed Imperial Germany]

Why did Austria-Hungary attacked? Because they knew that the German would support them.
Why so? Because of complex alliances.
Why they existed? Because Bismarck tried to cockblock France and it backfired on him.
Why did he tried to do so? Because he knew that stealing Alsace-Lorraine would provoke an unreconiciliable inimity between the two nations.
And that's how you manage to trace back WW1 to it's real roots. Bismarck's stupid policy.
So, from the root of the conflict to it's evolution, in definitive, the real responsible of WW1 is in fact mostly Allemagne and no one else.

it doesn't matter why they did it, they (Austria-Hungary) did it

and had they not done it, World War I as we know it would not have happened

whether they were justified or not is a separate question

Need I remind you that Austria declared war because of Serbia's refusal to hand over murderous terrorists, and that German involvement and the subsequent domino of alliance was all due to Russian imperialistic sabre ratling? Austria was actually, seemingly, one of the more reasonable parties.

[Gim]

Russia. Its Russia's fault.

Now I know that Germans blame Russia for everything.

[PLESSUR]

Need I remind you that Austria declared war because of Serbia's refusal to hand over murderous terrorists, and that German involvement and the subsequent domino of alliance was all due to Russian imperialistic sabre ratling? Austria was actually, seemingly, one of the more reasonable parties.

I suggest you read up exactly what Austria-s demands were from Serbia. One historian famously said that the demands were ones that "no self-respecting nation" would accept. For example, it demanded that all Serbian ministers seen by the Austrians as against the Dual Monarchy be removed from the Serbian government. Serbia did, surprisingly, accept most of the demands save for a few, which still led to Austria declaring war.

[Taruda]

Need I remind you that Austria declared war because of Serbia's refusal to hand over murderous terrorists, and that German involvement and the subsequent domino of alliance was all due to Russian imperialistic sabre ratling? Austria was actually, seemingly, one of the more reasonable parties.

I suggest you read up exactly what Austria-s demands were from Serbia. One historian famously said that the demands were ones that "no self-respecting nation" would accept. For example, it demanded that all Serbian ministers seen by the Austrians as against the Dual Monarchy be removed from the Serbian government. Serbia did, surprisingly, accept most of the demands save for a few, which still led to Austria declaring war.

The demand which Serbia denied was to allow an A-H judical inquiry inro its country to investigate the assasination. Other demads that Serbia accepted was to stop hate speech propaganda againstvA-H, which meant fueling nationalism.

How on Earth is allowing a judical inquiry into Serbia hurting it?

[PLESSUR]

The demand which Serbia denied was to allow an A-H judical inquiry inro its country to investigate the assasination. Other demads that Serbia accepted was to stop hate speech propaganda againstvA-H, which meant fueling nationalism.

How on Earth is allowing a judical inquiry into Serbia hurting it?

In today's world, your question would be justified, but things were very different then. Serbia had not been independent for relatively long, and nationalism was all the craze in those days. For Serbia, accepting all of this would have meant an 'attack' of sorts on their sovereignty. They thought that they should be more than capable of dealing with the terrorists themselves, though they didn't even criticise the assassination very much though.

[Taruda]

The demand which Serbia denied was to allow an A-H judical inquiry inro its country to investigate the assasination. Other demads that Serbia accepted was to stop hate speech propaganda againstvA-H, which meant fueling nationalism.

How on Earth is allowing a judical inquiry into Serbia hurting it?

In today's world, your question would be justified, but things were very different then. Serbia had not been independent for relatively long, and nationalism was all the craze in those days. For Serbia, accepting all of this would have meant an 'attack' of sorts on their sovereignty. They thought that they should be more than capable of dealing with the terrorists themselves, though they didn't even criticise the assassination very much though.

Serbia was by then been independent for about 80 years. The Black hand had years before killed its pro-Austrian royal king and replaced him with a more radical dynasty. Serbia was fighting a year before the assasination in the Balkan wars and was in the mood to start another one (in fact they said the war with A-H was supposed to be a Third Balkan war) to agressivly spread its teritory.

Given all that how could anybody expect for Serbia to punish the terrorist ecpecially when some of them.were involved in the Serbian government?

Sending a inquiry there was more than fair even for 1900s standards because since Serbia was courage enough to send its millitary personell to assasinate the archduke, an inquiry was also more fair.

[PLESSUR]

Serbia was by then been independent for about 80 years. The Black hand had years before killed its pro-Austrian royal king and replaced him with a more radical dynasty. Serbia was fighting a year before the assasination in the Balkan wars and was in the mood to start another one (in fact they said the war with A-H was supposed to be a Third Balkan war) to agressivly spread its teritory.

Given all that how could anybody expect for Serbia to punish the terrorist ecpecially when some of them.were involved in the Serbian government?

Sending a inquiry there was more than fair even for 1900s standards because since Serbia was courage enough to send its millitary personell to assasinate the archduke, an inquiry was also more fair.

No country is ever in the 'mood' to start a war because it is already fighting. Furthermore, though members of the government were involved with Black Hand, Black Hand was never their 'military personnel' as you say. Serbia was a little fish in the sea of three Leviathans: the Ottomans, who were slowly dwindling away in influence in the Balkans, Russia and Austria-Hungary. The new, more radical Serbian regime was playing with the sympathy of Russia, their great Slavic brother, in order to play down Austria's influence. Some see Serbia as acting as the Yugoslav 'Piedmont'. So, while Serbia was by no means innocent, it was Austria's ambitions in the Balkans and her competition with Russia in this regard that was more important in leading Europe to war.

[New Larthinia]

Uh, the Central Powers?

[The Novakian Empire]

Jesus christ,done.
Srsly tho,probably russia.

[Etyria]

I'd say Every big country in Europe at that time, and put a double blame on Austria-Hungary and France, because it is after the French-Prussian War of 1870 that the German Empire formed, and the balance between European powers was broken.

[PLESSUR]

I'd say Every big country in Europe at that time, and put a double blame on Austria-Hungary and France, because it is after the French-Prussian War of 1870 that the German Empire formed, and the balance between European powers was broken.

You blame France for losing the war ??

[Bojikami]

Almost all of the a major powers involved could be said to have started the war. It is really up to perception as to which individual one began the war.

[Grand Calvert]

Gavrilo Princip, Franz Ferdinand's assassin.

[Incredible Bums]

Well, going down this road, I´d say, to blame is a man named Leopold Lojka. He was the driver of the car, where the archduke, his wife, count Harrach and general Potiorek sat in.
Because no one instructed him correctly that after the first attempt of assassination there was a change of the planned route, he made a wrong turn and had to reverse the car accidentially at exact the same place, where Gavrilo Princip, who had decided before to give up the plan of assassination because of the first attempt by his comrade Nedeljko Cabrinovic had gone wrong, was sitting and having a coffee. But he suddenly changed his mind, given this incredible opportunity, and took the shot.

[Roski]

Barack Obama and his ISIS buddies are responsible for every disaster in world history.

[Confederate Ramenia]

Britain

[Gim]

Barack Obama and his ISIS buddies are responsible for every disaster in world history.

What about George W. Bush?

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

In that case no because North Korea de facto invaded/violated the territorial integrity of South Korea, so as a state North Korea started the war first

And Austro-Hungary is denied this privilege because?

in this case however, no states entered another country prior to a declaration, so the declaration is what starts the war

Here's how I do it.

Step 1: Has a state actor actively deployed a military force in an aggressive manner over the border of another country? If yes, then that country is responsible, if not, then you move to step 2

Step 2: Has a state actor declared war, the first country doing so is responsible

Also, for Step 1 it must be aggression/intrusion over one of the actual belligerents in the war. So in an alternative situation, if Germany had invaded Iceland and then the UK declared war, the UK and not Germany would be responsible for that war (no matter what justifications the UK might think it has)

In this situation though, the facts are straightforward. First declaration of war was by Austria-Hungary, there was no prior invasion/aggression by a state actor into a belligerent in the war.

So, the Black Hand killing Archduke Ferdinand is ineligible because?

[Gim]

In that case no because North Korea de facto invaded/violated the territorial integrity of South Korea, so as a state North Korea started the war first

Sorry to digress, but I have to say this: Anyone who believes South Korea started the war is either North Korean or totally guessing on this issue.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

In that case no because North Korea de facto invaded/violated the territorial integrity of South Korea, so as a state North Korea started the war first

Sorry to digress, but I have to say this: Anyone who believes South Korea started the war is either North Korean or totally guessing on this issue.

"We must liberate the pure-blooded Choseon people from the vile Imperialist Americans and their lackys in the illegitimate, puppet government of the South so that they may reunite into the loving bosom of the Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Un."

[Gim]

Sorry to digress, but I have to say this: Anyone who believes South Korea started the war is either North Korean or totally guessing on this issue.

"We must liberate the pure-blooded Choseon people from the vile Imperialist Americans and their lackys in the illegitimate, puppet government of the South so that they may reunite into the loving bosom of the Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Un."

Reminds me of 1920s Soviet Communism; it's archaic.

[Nationes Pii Redivivi]

"We must liberate the pure-blooded Choseon people from the vile Imperialist Americans and their lackys in the illegitimate, puppet government of the South so that they may reunite into the loving bosom of the Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Un."

Reminds me of 1920s Soviet Communism; it's archaic.

"Bow before the dear leader, or face the great Pulgasari!"

But back to WWI, I am going to blame the Chinese for inventing gunpowder.

[Gim]

Reminds me of 1920s Soviet Communism; it's archaic.

"Bow before the dear leader, or face the great Pulgasari!"

But back to WWI, I am going to blame the Chinese for inventing gunpowder.

I blame the Romans for introducing warfare into Europe.