Germany's War Aims In The First World War

In the year 1961, Fritz Fischer had presented his book, which was known as Germany's Aims in First World War and it had been successful in launching a debate among German historians and scholars as older historians severely criticized and opposed Fischer and his book. However, his contemporaries and younger historians supported his book. The book draws a detailed and comprehensive picture of Germany and its aims during the World War I.

Decisions for War, 1914-1917 by Richard Hamilton and Holger Herwig investigates the origins of the First World War detailing individual country’s reasons for entering the war. Historians at War by Anthony Adamthwaite explores how scholars have understood the origins of the Second World War throughout varying times and differing national view points. Both works share a common theme of determinism; a retrospective notion placed on historical events by historians that Europe was inescapably predestined to go to war and that nothing nor anyone could inhibit that. Both remark that this popular approach does a disservice into the explanation of war as it does not accurately depict the economic and social agency present in Europe at the time. In

Many historians argue that the reason for Germany going to war was due to the aggressive behaviour of Germany in the build up to the war. Throughout this essay I will be addressing this issue looking at whether Germany was responsible for the outbreak of a general European war in August 1914. There are many factors which contribute to the outbreak of the war from a short-term trigger such as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand to the long-term annexation aims Germany implemented in the years building up to the war, the most important reason was Germany’s aggressive foreign policy, they had provided

to be more like them so that's the more the reason why they would want

World War II was a devastating war where millions of soldiers and civilians died. Adolf Hitler played a huge part in World War II and was one of the major reasons the war happened. Hitler started to take over countries like Austria with little or no resistance. When he later tried to invade Poland, Britain declared war. Even though there was very little fighting at the time Britain declared war. Hitler’s ideas and goals for Germany were what initially caused World War II and later led to the holocaust. His need for more space for Germany led him to start taking over countries and initially started the war with Britain and he wanted a superior Aryan race which is the reason for the Holocaust. Hitler stated the three reasons for starting this war in his Journal Mein Kampf. His goals were to get rid of the Treaty of Versailles, make a Greater Germany, and he wanted more living space for his people.

World War II plays a very important part in the history of the world. It still has effects that we deal with today. So, what events could have possibly started such a monumental world war? Well, the events are: World War I, Great Depression, expansion of imperialism, Versailles Treaty, and the rise of Germany. This was a dangerous chain reaction of events that lead to the devastating effects of the war.

In Telling the Truth About History, three historians discuss how the expanded skepticism and the position that relativism has reduced our capacity to really know and to expound on the past. The book talks about the written work of history and how individuals are battling with the issues of what is “truth.” It likewise examines the post-modernist development and how future historians

Not all is known and the facts passed down may not reveal the whole truth. History is biased and can easily be manipulated by those with more power, and it is a modern historian’s job to weed through the commonly accepted information, and try to find the truth. If the truth is not found, then they present alternative theories to broaden the world’s knowledge on the possible course of events in the

At the end of World War I, the sole responsibility of initiating the conflict fell on Germany. With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany took the blame and agreed to pay for reparations. However, the origin of the war was not the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Rather, the origins were nationalism, the creation of entangling alliances, the conflict in the Balkans, and the economic and imperialistic rivalries in Europe. These factors created the right conditions for war to occur. However, the responsibility of initiating conflict can be placed on Austria-Hungary.

Karl Marx’s maxim that ‘men make their own history…under given and imposed conditions’ has been tainted by several revisionist historians as the catalyst for Hitler’s foreign policy. A.J.P. Taylor even goes on to argue that Hitler was not only continuing a policy of previous German governments but he also believes Hitler can not be directly implemented in the events which unleashed WW2. However, to attribute Hitler’s foreign policy purely to his opportunistic characteristics would be to ignore his personal motivations and both racist and expansionist ideology. This facile explanation also fails to look at Hitler’s intentions echoed fearlessly throughout his speeches, address, and party literature of reversing the Treaty of Versailles to

From the time Hitler and the Nazi’s took control of Germany in 1933 until the collapse of the Third Reich in 1945, the aim of the regime under the calculating guidance of Hitler himself sought no less than global conquest. This ambitious objective can be further dissected into short term and long term goals that provide insight into Hitler’s character, thoughts and actions.

The First World War was not caused singularly by Germany and Austria-Hungary as the treaty of Versailles has set out. Germany is greatly responsible for much of the tension of the world situation in 1914, resulting from its aggressive policy of Weltpolitik, its attempts to have a superior navy, the Kaiser's personal poorly said remarks, and its attempts to break up the Triple Entente. However Germany was not solely responsible for the tension, many other events had occurred outside Germany's control, which had the same effect. Germany was also largely responsible for allowing the conflict in the Balkans to escalate into a major European conflict, by giving Austria-Hungary free reign, though it was not their intent. However Germany should

Many countries were involved in WWI, Germany being one of them. It is arguable whether Germany is responsible for the outbreak of war or rather the responsibility of individual countries such as Britain, Russia, France, Austria-Hungary and the Balkans collectively. However, Germany should be blamed to the full extent of starting WW1 due to the reasons that Germany had unconditional support for Austria, Germany 's war plans were planned to cause more conflict and Germany 's mobilization schedule.

Most can recall some of the known main origins of the first World War-the Schliefflen Plan, the arms race, alliances, or Germany’s Blank Check. But few can actually recall what led up to these events and how they unfurled. In July 1914: Countdown to War, Sean McMeekin brings to life diplomacy, which gives us an deeper understanding of strategic issues of the alliance system and geopolitics, how diplomatic decision making and communications was influenced by the personalities of the diplomats and rulers, and how other internal issues affected diplomacy in various countries. The book is almost written as if it is a play, narrating events from country to country-Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia, France, and Great Britain, while sparingly discussing Serbia. With this chronology , it allow us to see the reasoning and explanation behind McMeekin’s unpopular perspective of not blaming Germany for the start of war but instead the Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Simonov and the French President, Raymond Poincare .

After the First World War (1914-1919), the world was faced with the questions - who was responsible and what was reason for the outbreak of the war. Ultimately it was agreed on the 28 June 1919 that “the Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage” from the First World War. However, there have been many other interpretations on whom and what was responsible for the war. On the one hand, some historians would agree with David Lloyd George’s notion of all “the nations slithered over the brink into the boiling cauldron of war”, however, on the contrary, others would agree with Fischer in arguing that Germany’s aggressive foreign policy was responsible for the First World War. Whether you agree with Lloyd George or Fischer, it is important to understand some of the other possible reasons for the outbreak of the First World War – including the growth of nationalism and imperialism, the alliances within Europe and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Although this essay will argue that Germany’s aggressive foreign policy was responsible for the outbreak of the First World War, it will also illustrate why other historians have argued against that notion.