War Planning and the Outbreak of War in 1914

Abstract

The debate about the origins of the First World War has been rekindled with numerous new articles and books on the subject. Discussion of the war's outbreak remains a strategist's battleground. Fritz Fischer's interpretations of the causes of the war have dominated the debate for nearly two decades. His principal thesis is that economic and societal pressures propelled Germany into war in 1914. These interpretations are too simplistic and contain a number of errors. As evidenced in the recent literature, the Fischer thesis has skewed our understanding of the origins of World War I. Research into the neglected questions of the policies and the decision making of the other powers reveals at least a corresponding lack of resolve to avoid war.