The Origins of the First World War: diplomatic and military documents

This book is a unique collection of diplomatic and military documents for the years leading up to the outbreak of the First World War. It brings together newly-discovered documents as well as many not previously available in English, drawn from a broad range of sources and countries. It is an essential collection for anyone studying the origins of the First World War. The collection contains several hundred international documents, selected because they are vital to understanding the many remaining controversies on the war’s origins. The volume includes a detailed scholarly introduction which analyses the most controversial issues in the debate on the origins of the First World War on the eve of the centenary. It also provides a detailed overview of the history of the publication of official document collections on the war’s origins. The documents are then divided into two parts: the first covering the period 1911-1914; the second addressing the July Crisis and immediate outbreak of war. The First World War continues to fascinate scholars, students and the general public. Anyone studying the origins of the war will find this collection indispensible. Documents are an essential component of historical study, particularly for this controversial topic about which historians have argued for the best part of a century. The documents in this volume are thoroughly cross-referenced and annotated, and presented with authoritative commentary. It allows readers to make connections between the documents to illuminate how the decisions for war were made, and why