AA312
“Whilst all major European powers bear a share of responsibility for
the commencement of hostilities in 1914, the largest must be allotted
to Austria-Hungary.” Discuss.
The outbreak of hostilities in 1914 resulted from both long and short term
factors, the final trigger being the assassination of Austria-Hungarian
Archduke Ferdinand by Serbian terrorists. Whilst the Austria-Hungarian
response to this leads to conclusions that Austria- Hungary should be
allotted the largest responsibility for the outbreak of war, it will be argued
that this responsibility was only for the July Crisis of 1914 and that in
terms of the escalation to European war, long term causative factors were
of greater importance. In this, all major European powers, especially
Germany, must shoulder responsibility to varying degrees. Responsibility
for World War I has caused continuing debate among historians from its
outset.
Austria-Hungary’s deliberately unacceptable ultimatum to and
declaration of war on Serbia began the outbreak of hostilities leading
ultimately to the involvement of all major European Powers. Albertini
blamed Austria-Hungary stating that “the initiative was taken by
Austria.”1 Before the Fischer publications Austria-Hungary was
commonly apportioned most responsibility. However many felt that
Fischer ignored Austria-Hungary’s role. Langdon describes how
Fischer’s “copious denunciations of German intentions bleached Austrian
1
L.Albertini The Origins of the War of 1914 (English Translation) 2nd Edition Oxford 2004, p148.
1
actions into a colourless record of unswerving submission to the wishes
of Berlin.”2
Ferdinand was Austria-Hungary’s main “proponent of peace and internal
reconstruction and change”3 so his death opened the way for AustriaHungary to adopt aggressive foreign policies to escape form internal and
external problems. Internally problems arose from being a multi-national
state and externally Austria-Hungary...