i used to teach this stuff so know a bit - but can't really remember why it started other than it was an arms race that went horribly wrong. i believe that that is a lot more knowledge than the vast majority of the population have on the causes of the first world war (and no, some serbian getting shot was not a cause - it was an excuse. a spark.) i always think that the phrase 'lest we forget' is ironic and sick when we were never allowed to know the truth to forget it. i was guilty of forgetting just how evil and ruthless and feckless the warmongers can be - so thanks again for the reminder.
for anyone tempted to support our war leaders of the times, i suppose we can choose to interpret accounts of a century ago as we like. however, it would be awful to think that a hundred years from now anyone could look back at the likes of osborne and ian duncan smith and think they were anything but vicious, fascist idiots.