Kaiser Wilhelm II was Responsible for the Outbreak of World War One

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Due to his premature release of Otto Von Bismark, lack of foreign policy experience, untimely vacation to the Fjords, and blank check offer to A-H, Kaiser Wilhelm is the person most responsible for the outbreak of WWI. Up until the time of his “release” by the Kaiser, Otto Von Bismark spent much of his time setting up and maintaining alliances with the major powers of Europe to protect a growing Germany. When it came to maintaining the peace between Austria—Hungary and Russia, who conflicts in the Balkans were always threatening to erupt, he was the master. He had managed to form the Dual Alliance with A-H and still hold neutrality with Russia through the Reinsurance treaty. But a conflict between the Kaiser, who wanted to “Rule and Reign” and Bismark, who ran much of the day to day politics in Germany, led to Bismarks dismissal. Bismark did not have a trained successor. After Bismarks dismissal the Kaiser was in full control of Germany. But he lacked the foreign affairs experience that Bismark had. He did not renew the Reinsurance treaty, thus sending Russia into the open arms of France. When the final crisis arose in 1914, Russia would oppose Germany and Austria-Hungary, while bringing in France and Brittan because of the triple entente. At the beginning of the final crisis before the start of the war, the Kaiser offered Austria-Hungary what amounts to a blank cheque, offering Germanys full support on attacking Serbia. After issuing the statement he was rushed away onto a three week vacation to the Fjords of Norway on the royal yacht. During that time the “powder keg of Europe” was ignited. Wilhelm was one of only a few people who could have stopped the minor Balkan conflict from growing into a world war, but due to the lack of communications he was not able to intervene in time. http://www.kbismarck.com/ottovbis.html
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