Final answer:
Germany was blamed for WWI due to the Treaty of Versailles' war-guilt clause, their initiation of hostilities through Belgium, their unconditional support to Austria-Hungary, and the geopolitical interests of France and Britain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Germany was given most of the blame for World War I for several reasons. One key provision of the Treaty of Versailles was the war-guilt clause, which required Germany to accept all the blame for starting the war. This assignment of blame was primarily based on three reasons:
Germany's aggressive stance and actions at the onset of the war, including executing the Schlieffen Plan, which involved invading France through neutral Belgium and brought Great Britain into the war.
Germany's offer of a 'blank check' to Austria-Hungary, promising unconditional support, which encouraged Austria-Hungary's war declaration on Serbia, leading to a larger conflict.
The broader geopolitical environment, where France and Britain had incentives to direct blame at Germany to justify territorial gains and reparations imposed on Germany.
However, the intricate web of alliances, nationalism, militarism, and imperialism shared across European powers also played significant roles in the lead-up to the war. Despite this, the humiliation of the war-guilt clause had far-reaching consequences, contributing to the instability and resentment in Germany that eventually led to World War II.