World War I : The Causes Of World War I

At the turn of the twentieth century Europe seemed to enjoy a period of peace and progress. Yet below the surface, several forces were at work that would lead Europe into the “Great War”. Some of the causes of WW1 were Nationalism, Militarism, Imperial Rivalries, Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Alliance.

World War One was an event that devastated the globe in such a way that was felt by all of the individual nations of the world. Many events prior to the beginnings of the war acted as a precursor to the chaos. The late eighteenth century and all throughout the nineteenth century was an era of revolution. Ordinary citizens and others hoping for liberty and justice in all of their respective nations found their voices. Out of the great “new” societies the people established arose a mutual sense of nationalism and also a state of vulnerability. The vulnerability factor brought about a system of alliances, whereas the snarky nationalism birthed a period of competitive colonization and festered until it became a dangerous weapon known as militarism.

|1. (TCO 1, 2) Analyze how nationalism and militarism contributed to the outbreak of World War I. |

Promptly after the First World War had ended there were many debates about who or what caused the war. Historians such as Fritz Fischer argued that Germany was the to blame for the entirety of the war but there have been many more ideas of what was the cause of the war and therefore causing peace to fail. The main ideas amongst historians for the underlying causes of the war are the different balance in power due the formation of alliances, imperialism, militarism and also the July Crisis of 1914. This essay will argue that the alliances were the main cause of peace failing as with the constant conflict of interests and increasing tension it made it almost impossible to create peace in Europe in 1914.

The start of the 20th century was marked by a strong sense of nationalism in many European powers. This shared patriotism, was evoked by many governments to gain support about becoming a part in World War I. Many people bought into this sense of belonging and sought to fight for

“The conflicting fears and desires of many States and peoples did not create a European war, but they served as a set of multiple fuses waiting to ignite, should war between two States” (Gilbert 6). World War 1 was a very complex conflict that led to many long-lasting repercussions around the world. WWI erupted in July 1914 and lasted until November 1918. Many European nations became involved in this global conflict, which upset the European balance of power. The war escalated quickly for several reasons and was first sparked by the assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by the Black Hand. Then, many other contributing factors spurred major powers to become embroiled in the war in Europe. In the war, two important elements had

There was a lot of reasons World War 1 commenced imperialism, assassination, nationalism, alliances, and militarism are a few of WW1’s causes. On June 28th, 1914 archduke of Austria-Hungary and his wife were on their way home from an event when their driver took a wrong turn and Blackhand member Gavrilo Princip just happened to be in the alleyway where they stopped to turn around. Gavrilo Princip quickly pulled out his gun and shot both Archduke and his wife. This Assassination caused Serbia and Austria-Hungary to declare war which lead to WW1. Militarism is the belief or desire of a government of people that I country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests. Militarism denoted a rise in military expenditure, an increase in military and naval forces, more influence of the military men upon the policies of the civilian government, and a preference for force as a solution to problems. This caused the war because it built up nations armies and when you have a huge army that's good you use it. Imperialism is a policy of extending another country‘s power and influence through colonization, and use of military force to create empires they exploited weaker countries. This policy of one nation dominating other countries or regions caused the war because countries wanted to be huge empires like Great Britain. There were many causes of World War 1 but the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand,

Some people would say that nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and or industrialization were the cause of World War I. Colonies wanted the glorification of the military and fight for land, and its resources. What I prove is that the leading cause of WWI was caused by militarism and imperialism. Militarism was a major contributor to World War because new weapons, emerging technologies and developments industrial production, fuelled a Europeans arms race in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Militarism is the incorporation of military personnel and ideas into civilian government – and the belief that military power is essential for national strength. Furthermore, British militarism, though more subdued than its counterpart, was considered essential

This paper has hopefully explained some of the underlying causes in world war I. These were nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and allies. These causes built up over a long period to finally lash out and cause total war. The war was inevitable but the question was really when it would lash

Though men around the world were eager to march off to war, none of them knew the dangers that were ahead. During World War I, 10 million people across Europe died fighting for what they believed in. WWI lasted for four years between 1914 and 1918. Millions of soldiers around the world fought for what they believed in hopes of bettering their homelands and protecting their allies. People were happy to support their country in hopes of new opportunities and better resources. Soldiers predicted the war would be over in six months, but they soon realized World War I would last almost half a decade in the trenches. Though the main cause of World War I was imperialism, other causes include militarism and alliances.

As the world left behind the age of new imperialism and entered the first world war, certain aspects of the world changed while many stayed the same. While aspects such as nationalism and the competition between world powers remained almost the same, other aspects such as culture, business and economic interests and military mobilization both changed and remained the same in other ways. One of the ways in which the world stayed the same from the age of new imperialism into the first world war was the way that the world powers thought of nationalism. According to the lecture on October 3rd, those living in the thriving imperialistic nations had a high sense of nationalism due to feeling that their nation was better than others due to its wealth and accomplishments. This feeling of superiority continued after the first world war began, and the strong sense of nationalism within the imperialistic countries helped fuel the drive for war.

World War 1 (better known as The Great War), was caused by a great many elements, some long-term, some short-term and the spark. Together these reasons created a brutal war involving many countries across the globe and also killing a vast number of the world’s population. In this essay, I will thoroughly explain what started this war and which reasons made it start sooner.

World War I occurred as a result of a number of political, social, and economic changes that were taking place at a rapid pace in the region. A prominent transformation was the onset of industrial revolution that accompanied these changes. Many countries were investing significantly in industrialization while undergoing transformation that was changing the face of society. To enhance patriotism and to achieve objectives that were otherwise impossible, political forces were utilizing notions like nationalism. In this scenario, the colonies of European nations became the cause of significant rivalry and disputes, settled only after the blood of millions was shed. The war had far-reaching consequences for all nations that were involved in the conflict such that the entire boundaries of many countries were remarked. This paper will discuss the impact of nationalism, industrialization, and colonialism on WWI and its occurrence.

This question has formed part of the historiography of the causes of the First World War, a historical debate that has endured ever since the conflict ended. It periodically resurfaces with new theories being advanced such as the Fischer thesis, usually on account of the release of previously unseen documents or because of a shift in the political climate. It has emerged to the fore once again because this year is the centennial of the war’s outbreak and there are plans to commemorate it nationally across the UK.

After the First World War (1914-1919), the world was faced with the questions - who was responsible and what was reason for the outbreak of the war. Ultimately it was agreed on the 28 June 1919 that “the Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage” from the First World War. However, there have been many other interpretations on whom and what was responsible for the war. On the one hand, some historians would agree with David Lloyd George’s notion of all “the nations slithered over the brink into the boiling cauldron of war”, however, on the contrary, others would agree with Fischer in arguing that Germany’s aggressive foreign policy was responsible for the First World War. Whether you agree with Lloyd George or Fischer, it is important to understand some of the other possible reasons for the outbreak of the First World War – including the growth of nationalism and imperialism, the alliances within Europe and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Although this essay will argue that Germany’s aggressive foreign policy was responsible for the outbreak of the First World War, it will also illustrate why other historians have argued against that notion.