sullafelix
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I didn't want to copy and paste everything.
" On the 28th, after reading the Serbian reply, Wilhelm first commented: “But that eliminates any reason for war”,[143] or "every cause for war falls to the ground”.[151] Wilhelm noted that Serbia had made “a capitulation of the most humiliating kind",[151] that “The few reservations which Serbia has made with respect to certain points can in my opinion surely be cleared up by negotiation,” and acting independently of Grey, made a similar “Stop in Belgrade” offer.[153] Wilhelm stated that because “The Serbs are Orientals, therefore liars, tricksters, and masters of evasion”, a temporary Austrian occupation of Belgrade was required until Serbia kept its word.[151]
Wilhelm’s sudden change of mind about war enraged Bethmann Hollweg, the military and the diplomatic service who, acting in accord, proceeded to sabotage Wilhelm’s offer.[154] A German general wrote: “unfortunately...peaceful news. The Kaiser wants peace...He even wants to influence Austria and to stop continuing further.”[155] Bethmann Hollweg sabotaged Wilhelm’s proposal by informing Prince Tschirschky: “You must most carefully avoid giving any impression that we want to hold Austria back We are concerned only to find a modus to enable the realisation of Austria-Hungary’s aim without at the same time unleashing a world war, and should this after all prove unavoidable, to improve as far as possible the conditions under which it is to be waged.”[154] In passing on Wilhelm’s message, Bethmann Hollweg excluded the parts wherein the Emperor told the Austrians not to go to war.[152] Jagow told his diplomats to disregard Wilhelm’s peace offer, and continue to press for war.[152] General Falkenhayn told Wilhelm that he “no longer had control of the affair in his own hands”.[152] Falkenhayn went on to imply that the military would stage a coup d’etat, and depose Wilhelm in favour of the hawkish Crown Prince Wilhelm if he continued to work for peace.[152]
Bethmann Hollweg’s two favourable conditions for war that he mentioned in his telegram to Vienna were that Russia be made to appear the aggressor forcing a reluctant Germany into war, and that Britain be kept neutral.[154] The necessity of making Russia appear the aggressor was the greater concern to Bethmann-Hollweg because the German Social Democratic Party had denounced Austria for declaring war on Serbia and ordered street demonstrations to protest Germany’s actions in supporting Austria.[156] However, Bethmann Hollweg put great faith in the private promises he received from SPD leaders that they would support the government if Germany was faced with a Russian attack.[156]"
Some in the German government were fine with a limited war between Austria and Serbia, but that it had to be quick. Once all the delays set in and it appeared that it was now going to be a general European war they tried to put the brakes on.
Sure there were parts of the German government who saw it as a God send, for a general war.
The thing you have to remember is that very few of the diplomats etc. had any idea that a general conflict would change Europe forever. The different nations involved had existed for hundreds of years in some form and wars had always ended with a compromise peace and some territorial rearrangements.Not a total destruction and rewriting of the European map.
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RE: Who started World War I? - 
There is indeed a WW1 sub-forum (Guns of August game), which nobody visits. A thread there would be 100% pointless. This has to be the right place. I would be surprised if Matrix did not allow historical discussions. Let's hope the Obamas, Putins, Bushes stay away from these threads.
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