Pre 1914 Economy Analysis

The flash of machine guns and the blare of shells were brand new to the veterans. Both the soldiers on the front and their family at home did not realize how much WW1 would change war forever. WW1, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918 involved two major parties. The triple alliance, including Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary, and the triple entente, including France, Great Britain, and Russia fought the biggest War that the world had ever seen. We know the story, but when we read the between the pages, what were the underlying causes of the Great War that changed history? Through extensive research among primary and secondary documents, the answer has been found. The hidden causes were militarism, nationalism, and the system of

Wars have immensely contributed to human history for thousands of years, becoming highly destructive usually for the means of gain. The First World War, also known as ‘the Great War’ was a truly global war centred in Europe. The causes of one of the most destructive wars in human history are still debated to this day. Some historians have come up with a list of multiple causes of the war. However, experts have identified some of the primary causes of the war, including the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism. The causes of the truly deadly war, sending ripples of shock throughout Europe and the world, can be summarised into four points, and the start of the war pinpointed to one bullet from a young Serbians gun.

In 1914 Europe was embroiled in a catastrophic war for power, pride and land. This war is now known as The Great War, First World War or The First War, because if it’s unprecedented and unparalleled slaughter, carnage and destruction. The 4-year war was a battle between the Central Powers, who were mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey against the allies, who were mainly France, Britain, Italy and Russia. It finally ended in 1918 with the defeat of the Central Powers and also the devastating deaths of 10 million soldiers.

What began as an assassination of a single individual, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, led to one of the greatest despairs in all of history. Known throughout the world as The Great War or World War I, this global war ignited battles throughout the entire world where the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire fought against the Allied Powers which included several countries including Britain and the United States. Lasting for four treacherous years, the war led to the deaths of millions of people. From mere citizens trying hard to live their life safely and away from all the violence, to brave soldiers who stood up to fight for their countries, people living all around the world had hardly had any any nice memories of days that had just passed by or hope for the coming times.

The First World War, also known as the Great War of 1914-1918, is not an event that manifested overnight; it was the result of ever growing tension among European nations. This conflict was brought about by factors such as, nationalism, militarism, and the Alliance system. An upheaval such as the First World War was witness to the emergence of the glorification of war, struggle, despair, destruction and immense loss of life. The First World War brought about a defining moment in the history of the modern consciousness. The modern world was born anew with a self-conscious awareness of plight and modern society. This awareness has been characterized by a profound sense of the differences between past and present.

In 1914, culminating tensions gave rise to a war unlike anything that the world had ever seen prior. World War I, also known as “The Great War” and “The War to End All Wars,” completely altered the Western world at its foundation. Nearly 65 million soldiers from 30 countries fought altogether. Not only were empires altered, but literature was altered as well. Overall, the Great War utterly revolutionized British literature and radically changed it at its core.

During the time period of 1870 to 1914, France was allied with Great Britain and Russia, and the three countries were known as the Allied Powers, or Allies. The Central Powers, France’s enemies, consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1894, France secured an alliance with Russia, known as the Franco-Russian Alliance. The agreement between France and Russia declared that if Germany attacked France, then Russia would send France around 700,000 to 800,000 troops. Similarly, if Russia was attacked by Austria-Hungary, then France would send 1,300,000 troops in order to aid Russia. However, it is important to note that this agreement was kept secret. (Yale Law). The alliance was formed as both countries wanted to protect themselves from Germany and Austria-Hungary, therefore sharing mutual interests. Thus, France ultimately entered World War I as allies with Russia in order to protect themselves against German invasion. At this time, France was enemies with Germany, due to France’s defeat against Germany in the Franco-Prussian War. More specifically, France was enemies with Germany as Otto Von Bismarck, the chancellor of Germany, considered France as a threat to the newly founded country of Germany. Thus, in order to create his own alliances. Bismarck wanted to ensure that France was completely isolated from other countries (WHKLMA). In 1904, the Entente Cordiale was created, and France gained the

To some extent it is correct to state that the First World War started more by accident than by design. However, it can be argued that many nations within Europe had planned for war and some even pushed for war. Despite this, those nations never wished for a full scale ‘World War'. They were hoping for a war on a much smaller scale, for example, the earlier Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913. In this essay I will discuss both sides of the argument; an accidental war and the planned war. I will then conclude the essay with which side of the argument I believe holds the strongest position.

World War One (WW1) ends in November 11, 1918 with the great human and material losses for both sides of the conflict: about 10-13 millions of people are dead while twice bigger number is wounded, and the economics of warring sides countries are on the decline. Due to new circumstances and new challenges, winning Allied Powers carve up areal map of the world during the Paris Peace Conference within Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Among political effects of WW1 are new country borders, arising new political regimes and a new world political discourse.

The world of the early 20th century was a brewing cesspit of nationalism and militarism coupled with isolationism and web of alliances. One might have noted if they lived at such a t time that war was inevitable, but no one was quite sure how such a conflict could arise after many of the world powers had consolidated in military alliances with each other. The ultimate irony of this mindset is that the alliances that were meant to bring about endless peace, would lead to the greatest war ever seen on the face of the earth. The forging of these alliances divided the prewar world powers in half, which only heightened any instances of conflict between each side. The ability for anything that normally wouldn’t be an international incident before

Four years, three months and two weeks later, in 1918, the global series of destructive events, known as World War 1, that had begun when Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary finally came to an end. Resulting in the victory of the allied forces, establishing a safer place for democracy for a very short period of time. However it was not without a fight that this achievement came about, millions of troops lost their lives to the deadly chemical weapons, tanks and other weaponry. The war had so many devastating effects that British author H. G. Wells called it “The war to end war”, which now can be seen as an erroneous comment. In his article, “The War That Didn’t End All Wars” war studies professor at King’s college London, Sir Lawrence D. Freedman, quotes George Kennan’s words to describe the war as “the great seminal catastrophe” as the Great War led to the creation of a broken intergovernmental organization known as the League of Nation, left Germany completely destroyed financially and contributed to the collapse of the Austrian, Turkish and Russian Empire. World War 1 did not end war; instead it not only paved the way for the biggest war in history of mankind, World War 2, but also one of the worst genocides the world has ever seen, the Holocaust.

There is no doubt that World War I, beginning in 1914 was the most important war of modern times because it if the foundation for so many conflict to come in the 20th century. The Great War is responsible for World War II, its predecessors, and wars that followed the Nazi regime. However, it not only affected the world on a militaristic level, but it eternally impacted policy, economics and society as a whole. The war stemmed from long-term competition in regard to trade, colonies, allies, and arms. Especially between the two main alliances, the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy and the Triple Entente made up of Great Britain, France and Russia. Short-term instigators of the war include the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by the Serbian terrorist group the Black Hand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. Murdering Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife resulted in the German declaration of war on August 1 and many of the great world powers in outrage. Uniting the world with a war will inevitably lead to a radical change in society but there are some unique elements understand how it came to be known as “the great seminal catastrophe of the century.”

As the twentieth century dawned across the world, a new threat was posed across the nations. As World War One, and subsequently World War Two dawned in the earliest part of the twentieth century; the world suddenly knew a different reality. These two wars thrust the world, into a reality, of pain and death, something they had not had to face before. New weapons were invented, the population of mainland Europe was desecrated, and many tears were shed. Two wars that terrorized the world into their “new normal”, that is known to the present day today. With many possible, underlying causes to these two wars; the causes can be categorized into three main sections. A growing sense of Imperialism among the “white countries” of Europe, revolutions and the budding sense of Nationalism afterwards, and the growing sense of resentment (on Germany’s part).

The Great war, later as it would be called “World War I”, was known to be the deadliest and most encompassing war the world had ever witnessed, creating an affliction in Europe. World War I had caused over 37 million fatalities, in 1914 up to 1918, and causing 17 million deaths. What was the cause of The Great war, the question that has continually been asked. Conjectures of the causes of the Great War were the prominence of militarism, inundation of nationalism and powers of the alliances.

The war that broke out in 1914 was one of the worst, if not the worst, wars in human history. It had left millions dead and a scar burned into European history forever. However, if we do not identify why war broke out in 1914, stopping others wars will be impossible. Clearly, we may never know the answer to this, but many sources give many interpretations. In this essay, I will try to recognise the key factors that led the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 and try to identify the most significant of these causes.