Discussion Questions for 16 April

1. You've now heard all sides of the debate on the causes of WWI. Each side has defended its own actions and blamed others for the war. Which side do you think has the most convincing case?



2. Do you think WWI was an accidental or inadvertant war, or do you think that specific states intended to start the war?



3. Do you believe the war was inevitable or was it preventable? If the latter, how could it have been prevented?



4. What are the most important lessons we should learn from our understanding of the outbreak of WWI?

The Moroccan crises of 1905, 1911
The Bosnian crisis of 1908
The Balkan Wars of 1912, 1913
The Dual Monarchy
"Weltpolitik"
Admiral Tirpitz's "Risk Theory"
Kurt Reizler's theory of "bluff diplomacy"
War Plans of the Great Powers in 1914 (Schlieffen Plan, Plan XVII, Plan 20)
Liege
First-mobilization advantage
War Council of December 8, 1912
Admiral Müller
General Bernhardi
The Jubilees of 1913
"Tight alliances"
The July Crisis
"Blank Check"
Triple Entente v. Triple Alliance
Wilhelm II
Grey
Berchtold
Nicholas II
Sazanov
Bethmann Hollweg
"Halt in Belgrade"
Moltke (the elder and younger)
Conrad
War aims of the great powers