"Oh, if only I knew." Even Bethmann-Hollweg had to voice his frustration in isolating a major cause of the First World War. In fact, at the beginning of the 20th Century, a place where "Europe was the centre of the universe" (Petrie), World War I resulted from a number of factors: nationalism, imperialism, militarism and he alliance system in Europe. All the European powers bear responsibility. Germany in particular, risked war, but did not plan …showed first 75 words of 1769 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1769 total…for it must lie with Russia"(Bethmann). Serbia and Austria-Hungary's responsibility lies on their aggressiveness. Russia's guilt lies with the blank cheque she gave to Serbia a blank cheque and mobilised. The attitudes of all powers, even the supposedly pacifist French and British, are to blame as they did not vigorously protest entering what they called a "jolly war", "over by Christmans".In the words of Joachim Remak: "All were sinners, all were sinned against".