1. Introduction2. The July Crisis, 19143. The Alliance System and the Old Diplomacy4. Militarism, Armaments and Strategy5. The Primacy of Domestic Politics6. The International Economu7. Imperial Rivalries8. The Mood of 19149. Conclusion

'Gordon Martel has done the impossible: he has made James Joll's The Origins of the First World War once more the premier study on why war came in 1914 Martel has not simply updated Joll's contribution but enhanced and improved it A triumph of both scholarship and editorial talent; James Joll would have been pleased.' Samuel R. Williamson Jr., University of the South.'Probably the best comprehensive history of the origins of World War I available in the English language Gordon Martel's [revision] will make certain that the book's deep insights will continue to captivate and inspire future generations of students and others interested in the Great War.' Volker Berghahn, ColumbiaUniversity.Of the Second Edition:'This succinct and, above all, admirably clear volume...will be essential reading for all students of the subject It is written with lightness of touch and an eye for the telling anecdote that will commend it to the general reader too.' British Book News'...this scholarly, comprehensive and subtle analysis should be made compulsory reading for all students of the period and, most of all, for the decision-makers of today.'John F V Keiger, History