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The Cause Of War : The Major Causes Of World War I

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Causes of World War 1 There isn’t one single event that caused WWI. Many people blame the assassination of Franz Ferdinand as the primary cause, but that ignores the underlying problems that started years before the attack in Serbia. The attack never would’ve happened without the rise of Balkan nationalism supporting the creation of nationalist groups like the Black Hand. Even if the attack had happened, it wouldn’t have led to a catastrophic world war if there weren’t so many entangled alliances. And the outbreak of war wouldn’t have been so volatile if militarism hadn’t created some of the strongest armies and navies in the world. There are many causes to WWI, but the main underlying causes were nationalism, alliances, and militarism. Balkan nationalism was one of the many causes of World War 1. Nationalism is an extreme loyalty and devotion to your country. Pride in your country is great, but it can also be dangerous. The Balkans refers to a cluster of nations including Greece, Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. These nations were not valuable economically, but geographically, they were very important. Situated between the Ottoman, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian empires, and with access to several important waterways, the Balkans were strategically vital. During the 1800s, several Balkan nations gained independence from Ottoman rule. This led to increased interest in the area from Britain, France, Russia, and Germany. They were all concerned about what would

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