John Bull rejects the idea that one concession to a unified German national ambition would necessarily have prevented the war. He describes competing interests seeking French territory, colonies, the destruction of Royal Navy power, or overseas bases, with desired outcomes still being debated after hostilities began. Political elements in France also had territorial grievances and security concerns after the previous war with Germany. The assassination at Sarajevo made a wider war likely in this interpretation, but it did not make escalation automatic. Alliance commitments acquired force through governments' decisions to act on them.
Chapter · 19:11-22:26
Competing war aims and choices behind the 1914 crisis
German leaders pursued different objectives, and governments still had to choose how to respond after Sarajevo.