As a matter of fact, Russia began military operations without a declaration of war.
The states that followed after--Italy and Roumania--entered into the war for purposes of conquest, Roumania in particular.

Italy also, of course, but owing to her geographical position, and being exposed to pressure from England, she was less able to remain neutral than Roumania.
But the war would never have broken out had it not been that the growing suspicion of the Entente as to Germany's plans had already brought the situation to boiling point.

The spirit and demeanour of Germany, the speeches of the Emperor William, the behaviour of the Prussians throughout the world--whether in the case of a general at Potsdam or a _commis voyageur_ out in East Africa--these Prussian manners inflicting themselves upon the world, the ceaseless boasting of their own power and the clattering of swords, roused throughout the whole world a feeling of antipathy and alarm and effected that moral coalition against Germany which in this war has found such terribly practical expression.

On the other hand, I am fairly convinced that German, or rather Prussian tendencies have been misunderstood by the world, and that the leading German statesmen never had any intention of acquiring world dominion.

They wished to retain Germany's place in the sun, her rank among the first Powers of the world; it was undoubtedly her right, but the real and alleged continuous German provocation and the ever-growing fears of the Entente in consequence created just that fatal competition in armaments and that coalition policy which burst like a terrible thunderstorm into war.
It was only on the basis of these European fears that the French plans of revenge developed into action.