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The '''causes of [[World War I]]''' remain hotly contested a century after the war itself concluded. Some authors emphasize the accidental character of the war as an unplanned response to the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in June 1914. Others argue that the German government planned the war in advance and used the assassination as a pretext.

The '''causes of [[World War I]]''' remain hotly contested a century after the war itself concluded. Some authors emphasize the accidental character of the war as an unplanned response to the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in June 1914. Others argue that the German government planned the war in advance and used the assassination as a pretext.

During the war, the German government blamed Russia for the outbreak of hostilities. This view was undermined when telegrams between Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia were discovered in the Russian archive and published in 1920.<ref>Levine, Isaac Don, "[https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Willy-Nicky_Letters_between_the_Kaiser_and_the_Czar Willy-Nicky Letters between the Kaiser and the Czar]." From the ''World War I Document Archive'' at the Brigham Young University Library.</ref> They show Nicholas making various peace proposals and Wilhelm brushing them aside.

During the war, the German government blamed Russia for the outbreak of hostilities.<ref>"[https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/The_German_White_Book Germany's Reasons for War with Russia]." From the ''World War I Document Archive'' at the Brigham Young University Library.</ref> This view was undermined when telegrams between Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia were discovered in the Russian archive and published in 1920.<ref>Levine, Isaac Don, "[https://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Willy-Nicky_Letters_between_the_Kaiser_and_the_Czar Willy-Nicky Letters between the Kaiser and the Czar]." From the ''World War I Document Archive'' at the Brigham Young University Library.</ref> They show Nicholas making various peace proposals and Wilhelm brushing them aside.

Early on, the debate was on the war's causes was inspired by the "war guilt" clause of the Treaty of Versailles, which was used to justify reparations.

Early on, the debate was on the war's causes was inspired by the "war guilt" clause of the Treaty of Versailles, which was used to justify reparations.