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Posts:
1
Registered:
8/14/05
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(1 of 11)
Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Aug 14, 2005 11:03 PM
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My answer to this question is NO. Many factors were at work and if anybody was to blame it certainly was not Germany by itself
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Posts:
5
Registered:
12/30/05
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(2 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Dec 30, 2005 9:01 PM
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No, Germany does not bear the brunt of responsibility for WW1. Much of the blame lays with Serbia and the alliances by all major players before the war which guarantee that if one nation was attacked all of Europe would be dragged into war. America knew Germany wasn't responsible which is why she didn't sign the treaty of Versailles.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
2/23/06
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(3 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Mar 1, 2006 5:52 AM
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Of course not... Other European countries are to blame. Like Austria and Serbia.
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Posts:
9
Registered:
5/11/06
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(4 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
May 11, 2006 7:36 PM
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A country is not responsible for wars- it is for example the regime that controls the country who is responsible. Blaming a country is blaming a nation of people who's ideals, opinions are not identical- and can be greatly influenced/ brainwashed into agreeing with the 'collective' opinion.
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Posts:
9
From:
USA
Registered:
9/9/06
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(5 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Sep 9, 2006 1:31 PM
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Germany itself does not bear the brunt of responsibility for WW1. The catalyst for the war was the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand. However, the war itself was in the planning stages for some time. The Austro-Hungarian leadership wanted war with Serbia before the assassination--the murder of the Arch Duke only provided them with a legitimate cause for waging war, so no, Germany itself should not bear the brunt--Austria-Hungarian leadership should bear the more weight for the war. It was just convenient to ally nations together in mutual protection pacts, so the dragging of Germany into war was just good business.
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Posts:
1
From:
Carbondale, IL
Registered:
5/16/07
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(6 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
May 16, 2007 9:32 PM
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I think that the situation in Europe in 1914 was bound to break out in war sooner or later. The war between Germany and France was 40 years earlier, and tensions between those two traditional enemies would eventually have led to conflict, though with the results of the Franco-Prussian war, I would have thought the French would try to provoke it. Germany had been trying to establish colonies around the world for years, with minimal success due to British and French dominance. Russia was a sick and exhausted Bear and could no longer serve as a check against either the Hapsburgs or the Ottoman Turks. Serbia, which held very little besides territory, proved to be more an excuse than a cause. After the Archduke was killed, the Austrians gave the Serbs an ultimatum they knew they wouldn't accept and the wheels were set in motion.
That said, I still find myself wondering how Willy and Nicky would have responded to a stern word from grandma Victoria, who, coincidentally had the greatest fleet in the world to back her up.
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Posts:
1
Registered:
5/17/07
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(7 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
May 17, 2007 3:19 PM
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NO. All of the countries involved bear some of the blame. Everyone went with pre-planned military strategies, rather than making special tactics for this particular war. Germany gave Austria a "blank check" of support, that's all. Russia did the same with Serbia, so a person can't blame one without the other. At the heart, Austria bears the brunt of the blame, or rather the Austrian who at some earlier time decided to conquer Serbia. Even so, before the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand (whose wife was low-born, and so their children wouldn't be able to inherit the throne anyway), Austria attempted to subjugate Serbia, taking some of its lands. Austria expected for the war to be minor, ignoring the complicated system of alliances that ensnared Europe.
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Posts:
16
From:
Miami, Florida
Registered:
8/12/07
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(8 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Aug 12, 2007 4:35 PM
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Well, according to the "war-guilt" clause, Germany is responsible for WWI. But in reality, no.
In the immediate aftermath of a war, there always seems to be a need to place the blame on someone, or on some country.
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Posts:
1
From:
michigan
Registered:
12/9/08
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(9 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Dec 9, 2008 11:28 AM
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Austria's prince was assassinated by the Serbs, which began the escalation into WWI. Germany only got involved when Austria requested that they (Germany) back them in the event that Russia became agressive when they held the Serbs accountable (Russia bordered the Serb area and was a pact member). Russia and Germany began massing troops on the frontiers. Peaceful means of settling the matter were attempted several times, but was either or ignored by both sides. One thing led to another and the next thing you know....
The moral is: the Austrians and Serbs were the two involved parties from whose problems escalated WWI.
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Posts:
2
From:
usa
Registered:
12/20/08
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(10 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Dec 20, 2008 11:16 AM
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 WORLD WAR b/c many nations were involved AND TO BLAME, I agree with Uwe
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Posts:
14
Registered:
6/28/09
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(11 of 11)
Re: Does Germany bear the brunt of responsibility for World War I?
Jun 29, 2009 10:37 PM
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The answer to this question is based on how you look at Germany in the war and the aftermath with the Treaty of Versailles.
While the Serbian assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by Gavrillo Princep caused Austria to issue the ultimatum, the Serbs had the backing of the Russians so Austria needed and ally which they found in Germany. Germany begins to shoulder blame here because her dangerous national pride caused her to issue the "Blank Check" which generally claimed that Germany would back Austria in any case.
So right now Germany is at war with Russia and Serbia. But the foolish Germans also had the gall to demand the French allow the Germans to occupy eastern French forts as a show of good faith the French would stay out of the war. This is where Germany made one fatal mistake the French had been contemplating "la revanche" (revenge) against the Germans for the loss of Alsace-Lorraine in the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871. Now German pride would force her to fight a two front war which proved her greatest folly.
On the Eastern Front the Russians used the Scorched Earth Policy " (burning one's land behind themselve as they retreat to prevent utilization by the enemy) so Germany can not be blamed for that destruction.
On the Western Front the Germans earned their blame for using terror and Biological Warfare to break the will of their opponents. Massive breech-loading Krupp Guns were intentionally aimed at the city of Paris to cause civilian casualties which would break the will of the French to resist but apparently they were ignorant to the last four lines of the first verse of the Marseillaise and the refrain:
"Entendez vous dans les compagnes.
Mugir ces feroces soldats.
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras.
Egorger nos fils nos compagnes.
Aux armes citoyens.
Formez vos bataillons.
Marchons marchons.
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons"
(Do you hear in the countryside? The howling of these ferocious soldiers. They are coming into our midst. TO SLAUGHTER OUR SONS, OUR WIVES!
To arms citizens. Form your battalions. Let's march, let's march, so impure blood may water our fields)
At the battle of Ypres the Germans introduced poison gas in warfare and used it to a dangerous effect. No longer was this war simply random in terms of death striking, you could at times see it coming yet if you were not prepared your death would be a long and agonizing.
The Germans are to blame for trying to break the Anglo-French forces rightfully defending their liberty, their belief in fighting for the Fatherland resulted in the death of millions on the Western Front. Germany is to blame for the making of widows, orphans, and bastards from 1914-1918 in the fields of Beguim and France.
If the war aspect of German guilt is not persuassive enough then let "The Rape of Belguim" be considered. The Germans were ordered to act properly as they advanced through the lower countreis but they were not.
Although Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles was imposed on Germany and they were forced to agree to it to end the war it is rather reasonble to say that most suffering endured in the Netherlands, Belguim, and France is because of the Germans.
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