It's a Bit Harsh to Pin The Blame for World War I on the Germans

Austria, Serbia and Russia must share responsibility for the start of World War I with Germany,

Updated Dec. 18, 2013 10:27 a.m. ET

In Margaret MacMillan's new book "The War That Ended Peace" (Bookshelf, Dec. 3), reviewed by William Anthony Hay, the Germans seem to be identified as the major culprit in starting World War I.

What is often overlooked is the Russian mobilization beginning on July 30, 1914, that led to the domino effect of general European mobilization. In those days, mobilization was a casus belli, and once started was impossible to stop....

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