The Causes of the First World War: The Long Blame Game

More than a hundred years after it began, the question of the origins of World War I remains contested. Based on Mombauer’s The Origins of the First World War (2002), this thoroughly revised and expanded volume surveys the long debate, taking the analysis from 1914 to the centenary and beyond.

The causes of the First World War were in dispute before the first shots had even been fired. Recriminations intensified following the Treaty of Versailles when the victors accused Germany and its allies of starting the war. This was the start of a heated blame game. To shift the responsibility to former enemies, historians and politicians on all sides became embroiled in a war of documents and publications. The author examines the circumstances that fuelled these international disagreements, offering an extensive analysis of a complex historical controversy which has been shaped by political and ideological concerns.

This volume provides students, teachers, scholars, and non-specialist readers with a comprehensive guide through the maze of conflicting interpretations and arguments over evidence.

Annika Mombauer is Professor of Modern European History at The Open University. Her other books on World War I include The Origins of the First World War: Diplomatic and Military Documents (2013) and Helmuth von Moltke and the Origins of the First World War (2001).