The chain of events that led to WW1 is controversial and most speculations revolve around the assassination of the Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, on June 28, 1914, by a Bosnian revolutionary. Germany's position concerning the possible outbreak of war is also speculative, with some historians claiming that the Germans did prepare for the Great War, while others assert that the war took Germany by surprise despite the main role it played in it.
             As a nation, Germany was experiencing a steady economic growth in the prewar era, but the Imperial Government was beginning to lose power with the Social Democrat voices growing in numbers. Like most of the countries in Europe, Germany didn't seem competent enough to endure a long-term war. The Germans at home felt its devastating effects on their own economic status, once the exhausting campaigns started by their leaders on the western front were consuming more and more means and ended unsuccessfully.
             In spite of the several attempts of the allies of proposing a peace treaty, the German leaders remained reluctant to the idea. The German reluctance was due to the fact that the leaders regarded the signing of a peace treaty as a weak sign of surrender, and thus it would have lost popularity for the liberal party.
             After being crushed as a result of the successful German campaigns in the east, Russia decided to sign one of its last peace treaties with Germany in favor of surrender. Despite the success it had on the eastern front, Germany encountered great resistance on the western front and had to call for an armistice with its enemies. Kaiser William II had to lead Germany in World War I, regardless that he indeed intended to preserve peace and to prevent a war of such proportions from occurring. The main reason for William's acceptance to get to war was the pressure that generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff were putting on him, which was decisive, with the power of the tw...