In the period leading up to the [[First World War]], senior military advisors monitoring external military forces, analyzed the information to determine if it's just an exercise, and if not, reported to political leaders of a general mobilization. The information was interpreted as "mobilization means [[war]]," and the country observing the mobilization invoked its own mobilization, escalating tensions. | In the period leading up to the [[First World War]], senior military advisors monitoring external military forces, analyzed the information to determine if it's just an exercise, and if not, reported to political leaders of a general mobilization. The information was interpreted as "mobilization means [[war]]," and the country observing the mobilization invoked its own mobilization, escalating tensions. |