A unique collection of hundreds of diplomatic and military documents on the origins of WWI: newly-discovered archival sources as well as documents not previously available in English. It includes a comprehensive scholarly introduction covering the most controversial issues in the debate on the origins of WWI on the eve of the centenary.

Introduction -- Part I. The period of 'avoided wars', 1911-14. Documents from 1911 : (1)-(16) -- Documents from 1912 : (17)-(50) -- Documents from 1913 : (51)-(69) -- Documents from 1914 : (70)-(102) -- Part II. The July Crisis. Immediate reactions to the assassination : (103)-(116) -- The Hoyos mission : (117)-(148) -- Planning the ultimatum : (149)-(189) -- Reactions to the ultimatum : (190)-(268) -- 'The machine is in motion' : (269)-(332) -- Mediation proposals and ultimatums : (333)-(382) -- The European war becomes a reality : (383)-(428).