Germany: WW1 responsible?

Was Germany Responsible for Starting the First World War? Introduction The question of Germany's responsibility in initiating the first World War is one that has raised many differences of opinion among historians who have attempted to address the issue. Holger H. Herwig, in his quest to answer this question has concluded; "...The greatest measure of responsibility, however, remains with Germany. Planners, both civilian and military, were all too eager to resolve their perceived diplomatic encirclement …

…might have eased it. All shared in some degree the responsibility for the general failure." Except that the Great War was hardly unthinkable as the contributing nations had made it quite inevitable, decades before its actual materialising. References Herwig, H. H., The Outbreak of World War I Barnes, H. E., Who Started the First World War? Marshall, S. L. A., World War One Ramsey, R. D., The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopaedia (World War 1) - Release 6