<P> For example, Russia ordered partial mobilisation on 25 July . The policy was intended to be a mobilisation against Austria - Hungary only . However, due to a lack of pre-war planning for this type of partial mobilisation, the Russians realised by 29 July that partial mobilisation was not militarily possible, and as it would interfere with a general mobilisation, only full mobilisation could prevent the entire operation being botched . The Russians were therefore faced with only two options, to cancel mobilisation during a crisis or to move to full mobilisation, which they did on 30 July . This full mobilisation meant mobilising along both the Russian border with Austro - Hungary and the border with Germany . </P> <P> For their part the German war plans, the so - called Schlieffen plan, assumed a two - front war against France and Russia . They were predicated on massing the bulk of the German army against France, and taking the offensive in the West, while a holding force held East Prussia . The plans were based on the assumption that France would mobilise significantly quicker than Russia . Hence German forces could be deployed in the West to defeat France before turning to face the slow - moving Russians in the East . </P> <P> On 28 July, Germany learned through its spy network that Russia had implemented partial mobilisation and its "Period Preparatory to War". The Germans assumed that Russia had, after all, decided upon war and that her mobilisation put Germany in danger . This was doubly so because German war plans, the so - called Schlieffen Plan, relied upon Germany to mobilise speedily enough to defeat France first (by attacking largely through neutral Belgium) before turning to defeat the slower - moving Russians . </P> <P> Christopher Clarke states: "German efforts at mediation--which suggested that Austria should "Halt in Belgrade" and use the occupation of the Serbian capital to ensure its terms were met--were rendered futile by the speed of Russian preparations, which threatened to force the Germans to take counter--measures before mediation could begin to take effect "...Furthermore, Clarke states: "The Germans declared war on Russia before the Russians declared war on Germany . But by the time that happened, the Russian government had been moving troops and equipment to the German front for a week . The Russians were the first great power to issue an order of general mobilisation and the first Russo - German clash took place on German, not on Russian soil, following the Russian invasion of East Prussia . That doesn't mean that the Russians should be' blamed' for the outbreak of war . Rather it alerts us to the complexity of the events that brought war about and the limitations of any thesis that focuses on the culpability of one actor ." </P>

Issues contributing to the outbreak of world war i