There is an enormous literature on the origins of the First World War. This pamphlet focuses on the major issues involved in the topic and assesses the validity of the different interpretations advanced.

Beginning with the legacy of Bismarck's diplomacy between 1871 and 1890, Ruth Henig surveys the roots of the conflict and outlines the assassination crisis which led to war in August 1914, looking especially at the factors which influenced individual countries to mobilize their armed forces.

She goes on to consider how the long-term factors leading up to the crisis of 1914 and the crisis itself have been interpreted by successive generations of historians since 1919, including the recent arguments concerning German responsibility for the outbreak of war.