Alex Clarke attributes German pressure for war in 1914 partly to fear of a stronger Russia after 1917. In his interpretation, completion of Russian military reforms threatened to close Germany's opportunity for victory. He also argues that Germany pressed Austria-Hungary to make its ultimatum to Serbia harsher when the Austro-Hungarians wanted to moderate it. This combination of diplomatic pressure and preventive timing forms his explanation for assigning Germany responsibility for the war.
Notable Point · 3:07:35-3:08:38
German war planning and the approaching Russian reforms
The argument links German pressure during the 1914 crisis to concern that Russian military reforms would make a later war harder to win.