“Germany pulled Europe into two world wars”
I think that is a gross over simplification of European history.
It ignores all the wars from the 1500s to the 1800s, what they were about, who lost what, who gained what, what nations, empires and states in Europe were involved, and what were the conditions resulting from them.
It also ignores that Germany as a state is about 100 years younger than the United States, and how during that 100 years and some centuries before, both England and France were already states and global empires. The Dutch and the Portuguese also had global empires before Germany is ever a state.
Those things are mentioned just to remind the reader of the things that go into the full context of Europe and the world the new state of Germany sees at the time it becomes a state, around 1871.
Resulting from all the above:
Before World War 1, the following alliances existed:
•Russia and Serbia
•Germany and Austria-Hungary
•France and Russia
•Britain and France and Belgium
•Japan and Britain
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia got involved to defend Serbia. Germany seeing Russia mobilizing, declared war on Russia. France was then drawn in against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Germany attacked France through Belgium pulling Britain into war. Then Japan entered the war. Later, Italy and the United States would enter on the side of the allies.
https://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/standards/guide.pdf
Does that sound like “Germany pulled Europe into” WWI???
Then you have all the residuals of WWI.
Yes, I think Hitler became a major factor, and I think he acted first, yes. And as much as I don’t like trying to predict what might have been, when what might have been never happened, I think any German state, given the conditions in Europe and the world, was - looking at Britain, France and Russia - going to rearm, and was going to feel aggrieved by conditions from the Treaty of Versailles and do things that Britain and France were going to object to. Would those things have led to war with Britain and France without a Hitler? Who can be sure? No one, but in my view putting 100% of the cause of WWII on Germany is only sustainable by putting 100% of the causes of WWI on Germany, which I don’t think is possible.
Agree with your layout. Autro-Hungarian Empire’s intransigence when Serbia responded to all but one of her demands is what lit the fuse. The Empire was not remotely prepared for a war with even little Serbia, but pulled everyone into it with entangling alliances.