If you have to assign blame. The countries itching for war, in order of wanting to scratch their itch. Note it is not a linear relationship.
1. Serbia - Itching to fight over territory they considered historic Serbia. Serbia often settled political fights in their country by assassination. Why not solve this problem that way. After the Archduke assassination they thought better of it and caved into almost all of A-H’s demands.
2. Austro-Hungary - Itching to fight, well they had a good reason. Serbian terrorists killed the heir to the throne. If it had stopped here as everyone expected it to. It would have been as Bismark said - ‘one more damn fool thing in the Balkans.’. The head of their general staff wanted war with Serbia.
3. France - Wanted revenge for losing Franco-Prussian War and Alsace-Lorraine back.
Distant 4!
4. Russia - Need to reassert and prove they are still a great power and support their brother Slavs - the Serbs.
Distant 5!
5. Germany - Felt hemmed in by France and Russia. Felt they had to support in some way the other Germanic power Austro-Hungary. Didn’t feel they were properly respected (Mostly the Kaiser felt that way!) The Imperial General Staff wanted war due to fear of Russia.
Distant 6!
6. UK - Felt bound by the Belgium sovereignty agreement. Historically always concerned about who controlled the Channel ports. Annoyed by the German fleet build up. If the Germans hadn’t gone through Belgium, the British wouldn’t have intervened. Interestingly I read that the UK Imperial Staff wanted a war because a war because factions in the UK military were threatening a coup because of unhappiness over the passage of the Irish Home Rule Bill in Parliament.
The bottom line: The UK never should have gotten involved!
Way way down!
7. USA - Why get involved? Other than Wilson and other American grandees being an extreme Anglophiles. Also, the Kaiser’s personality was very unlikable!
What about Austria-Hungary annexing Bosnia in 1908?
As I said, as the US expanded in the Pacific, we needed the Royal Navy to help guard the Atlantic, so we were kind of obligated to help them out.
-and Teddy Roosevelt desperately want ed to go to Europe with a group of cowboys and charge p a hill, as in in the Spanish American war--
I think you’re mostly right but I’d put Russia up there at #2. The Serbs started it. It was clearly state sponsored terrorism. Assassinating a foreign heir apparent was obviously an act of war.
What does anybody think the US would have done had say, the Cubans assassinated the president elect of the United States? Yeah. We all know the Marine Corps would have been sent down there in a very foul mood.
After the Serbs though, the next one I blame the most is Russia. Habsburg retaliation was inevitable. Russia involvement however was not. Russia did not “need” to get in a war over this. There was no vital national interest at stake. Russia had no defense treaty with Serbia. Russia was warned that mobilization - particularly on Germany’s border would leave Germany no choice but to go to war. Then they chose to go ahead and do it anyway.
Then France. They were asked by the Germans point blank if they would give their word not to attack Germany if Russia started a war. Instead of simply promising not to attack they said they would “have to consult their interests”.....meaning yes, they would attack.