An Improbable War? the Outbreak of World War I and European Political Culture Before 1914 Paperback – 1 Jan 2012

This collection of scholarly and erudite essays from distinguished Historians is likely to be one of the controversial books on the causes of WW1 as it starts with the hypothesis that war was "improbable" and with a series of articles covering the broad political,military and social spectrum tests this hypothesis.
It is not possible within the limits of this review to describe the whole book but I will try to give some idea of its contents and the issues examined that may also raise controversies and even furor in the well organized teams of Historians that have already decided who is to blame and attack ferociously any other opinion.
Paul. W. Schroeder in Chapter 1 argues that the A-H decision to go to war against Serbia was the right one within the context of the "rules of the Game" as understood and played between the Great Powers then.
John C. G. Rohl examines the Kaiser's responsibility for the war and points out that his erratic behaviour was linked to his erroneous perception of the British position and also that he was manipulated by the Chancellor,his Diplomats and the Generals,showing also how they did not accept his judgement at a certain point that could have prevented war. He does not however considers him innocent.
Holger Afflebach testing the hypothesis of the "improbable" war points out that in July 1914 the holiday period was enjoyed by the whole of the European Society which had no idea that war was coming. He also presents the other side. The "cult of inevitability" between certain decision makers although all agreed that war would be a Catastrophe. The Triple Alliance was considered as an alliance to preserve Peace.The same opinion was the consensus in France and G. B. on the Entente .Contrary to political and diplomatic opinion the military desired war ,particularly the German and Austrian Generals but even Falkenhayn did not consider war inevitable in 1912 stating that"according to human calculation......war was unthinkable". This belief permeated the European Peoples as a whole together with its fear of the inevitable war that existed against all logic in the higher decision making spheres.
Prof David Stevenson an authority on WW1 argues for and against the inevitability of the war in view of the Land Armaments race. The Prof states the obvious that it takes two to make a war which will raise cries of fury from the"The Kaiser did it" team.
The book requires a certain knowledge level of the History of events of that period but it is written in a way that all arguments are clearly understood even if not agreed upon.
In spite of its very broad thematically analysis the book does not offer a final concluding essay possibly because this would require another book.The reader is expected to draw his/her own conclusions and he is provided with plenty of arguments. It is a very useful addition to the Historiography of the Era.
DVK
P. S. It never ceases to surprise me that in all analyses of the causes of the war,Serbia ,a Country that was conducting state funded terrorism,is rarely considered as a cause.