Published on the 70th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, this book covers the events and decisions which directly precipitated the outbreak of the First World War in each of the main belligerent countries and assesses the role of public opinion and popular mood in determining and responding to the "July Crisis". Written by contributors who cover different aspects of the subject, this collection of essays provides a survey of the historiography of the immediate causes of the war, before and since the famous "Fischer controversy" over German responsibility; and new reflections on the character of the official and unofficial "mentalites" during the last weeks of peace.