Verdict #2: Germany is mostly to blame but the other powers share in the blame!
Source A: Germany was to blame for the war mainly as well as the other countries that were involved. Germany wanted equal power, wealth, military, LAND, and international influence but other countries like England disagreed. Austria-Hungary was convinced by Germany to wage war before any of them got weaker. The war triggered after Serbian rebels assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Although England (super power country) could've stopped the war it remained neutral and couldn't make a decision. Other causes were at hand as well which is why each country should accept their responsibility.
Source B: There are several fundamental causes that had brought the world to the brink of war: nationalism, imperialist competition, militarism, and the build up of pre-war alliances. Germany declared war on France, saying that they had infringed upon Germany's territory, they acted in "self defense". Kaiser William II promised German support for Austria against Serbia when they declared war.
The German generals saw only one way to survive a two-front war, the Schlieffen Plan: quickly mobilized German troops should encircle the French army by breaking into neutral Belgium and Luxembourg.
Source C: This is a GERMAN World War 1 Propaganda Poster shows a man holding a sword with his other arm around his wife and baby. War loans help the guardians of your happiness.
Source D: Another Propaganda Poster shows a German soldier, holding a grenade in one hand and a rifle in the other; in background a barbed wire fence and flames. This shows how much Germany was willing to fight for their country and how violent they really were going to get.
Source D: French postcard from the First World War era showing a caricature of Kaiser Wilhelm II attempting to devour the world; this French version was based on an Italian cartoon.
Source: E This picture shows the causes of World War 1 (pre-alliances, geological forces, military power, etc...)
Militarism: The militaries of Europe were being built up at an incredible rate. In addition to this buildup, military leaders became more influential in politics or influencing foreign policy. This created an environment where nations would be more likely to solve a crisis with a fight instead of allowing diplomacy to run its course.
Alliances: The nations of Europe broke themselves up into two alliances (see map). This meant a dispute between two nations would quickly bring more nations into a war.
Imperialism: Imperialism is the political or economic domination of a weaker nation by a stronger nation. During the 19th and 20th centuries the nations of Europe began competing to build large empires and protect those empires with large militaries. This intense competition continued to create a dangerous and tense environment in Europe.
Nationalism: Nationalism is intense devotion to one's nation or ethnic group. Nationalism can be a unifying force as we have seen in the cases of Germany, Italy, and even post 9/11 America, but it can also rip a country apart as we have seen in the Ottoman Empire and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. This is the most complex and important cause of WWI. Nationalism created such a patriotic fervor in Europe that countries were actually looking for a reason to go to war. In addition to this, nationalism also showed itself in the form of unhappy ethnic groups (Serbs) that were seeking independence from huge empires (Austria-Hungarian Empire). Ultimately, this is what starts WWI. A Serbian nationalists assassinates Franz Ferdinand of Austria and war becomes inevitable.
Militarism: The militaries of Europe were being built up at an incredible rate. In addition to this buildup, military leaders became more influential in politics or influencing foreign policy. This created an environment where nations would be more likely to solve a crisis with a fight instead of allowing diplomacy to run its course.
Alliances: The nations of Europe broke themselves up into two alliances (see map). This meant a dispute between two nations would quickly bring more nations into a war.
Imperialism: Imperialism is the political or economic domination of a weaker nation by a stronger nation. During the 19th and 20th centuries the nations of Europe began competing to build large empires and protect those empires with large militaries. This intense competition continued to create a dangerous and tense environment in Europe.
Nationalism: Nationalism is intense devotion to one's nation or ethnic group. Nationalism can be a unifying force as we have seen in the cases of Germany, Italy, and even post 9/11 America, but it can also rip a country apart as we have seen in the Ottoman Empire and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. This is the most complex and important cause of WWI. Nationalism created such a patriotic fervor in Europe that countries were actually looking for a reason to go to war. In addition to this, nationalism also showed itself in the form of unhappy ethnic groups (Serbs) that were seeking independence from huge empires (Austria-Hungarian Empire). Ultimately, this is what starts WWI. A Serbian nationalists assassinates Franz Ferdinand of Austria and war becomes inevitable.
Source F: Canadian propaganda poster during World War 1 shows Canada's part in the war. Canada has to help its mother country "Great Britain" and her allies. This was a huge turning point in Canada's history with all the things that went down such as conscription, ethnic tensions between the French and English Canadians, etc...
Source G: Austro-Hungarian Empire WWI Poster showing soldiers with rifles and bayonets, charging. Austria-Hungary was willing to go to war with Serbia as long as they could be assured support for their neighbouring ally through a telegram to Emperor Franz Joseph II. This telegram is known today as the "Blank Cheque." It was this reassurance that prompted Austria to declare war on Serbia, which set off a chain reaction of conflicts.