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Numerous authors have written on the subject of the causes of the war and they have cited a wide variety of causes. These include nationalism, militarism, imperialism and a web of pre-war of diplomatic agreements, many of them not disclosed until after the war.

Numerous authors have written on the subject of the causes of the war and they have cited a wide variety of causes. These include nationalism, militarism, imperialism and a web of pre-war of diplomatic agreements, many of them not disclosed until after the war.

The notable historians of this period can be divided into two camps. One camp sees the war as arising from the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir in June 1914 and snowballing almost spontaneously due to the alliance structure and military plans that were in place. This view throws the blame widely and avoids blaming Germany or any other party too specifically. The other camp sees the war as a consequence of Germany's increasingly aggressive planning and foreign policy, beginning with the Schlieffen Plan to invade France, drawn up in 1904, and growing more intense after the Agadir Crisis of 1911. This view originated with the writings of Fritz Fischer in the 1960s and has been referred to as the "Fischer thesis."

The notable historians of this period can be divided into two camps. One camp sees the war as arising from the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir in June 1914 and snowballing almost spontaneously due to the alliance structure and military plans that were in place. This view throws the blame widely and avoids blaming Germany or any other party too specifically.  

What caused the Great War? Historians still debate the questions involved. How did the conflict start? Was it a case of small mistakes escalating into a conflict that no one really wanted, or was the war an unavoidable consequence of deep conflicts? Why did it become stalemated? Why could it not be terminated? Most ominous of all, could it happen again? The war began in 1914 between two coalitions. The "Central Powers" comprised the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, later joined by the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. The "Allies" included the British, Russian and French Empires, Japan, and Serbia.<ref>Italy was originally a Central Power, but remained neutral in 1914 and joined the Allies in 1915.</ref> The powers had vast overseas empires in Asia, Africa and the Western Hemisphere (including Canada) that were active participants.  

Another camp sees the war as a consequence of Germany's increasingly aggressive planning and foreign policy, beginning with the Schlieffen Plan to invade France, drawn up in 1904. Preparation for war became more focused after the Agadir Crisis of 1911. This view originated with the writings of Fritz Fischer in the 1960s and has been referred to as the "Fischer thesis."

In examining this war the "who" and "when" questions are less interesting than the "how" and "why" problems.  Since 1870 there had been no large war in Europe, largely because the major countries joined one of the two great alliances. Fear of a small conflict escalating into a large war provided deterrence—until 1914 when the system broke down. Historians and political scientists have debated endlessly why the system of alliances and deterrence collapsed, and how the Great War could have been avoided.

The war began in 1914 between two coalitions. The "Central Powers" comprised the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, later joined by the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. The "Allies" included the British, Russian and French Empires, Japan, and Serbia.<ref>Italy was originally a Central Power, but remained neutral in 1914 and joined the Allies in 1915.</ref> The powers had vast overseas empires in Asia, Africa and the Western Hemisphere (including Canada) that were active participants.  

===Ethnic nationalism===

===Ethnic nationalism===