Free Essay

Reasons for the Outbreak of Wwi

In:

Submitted By ishka
Words 602
Pages 3
There were many causes and events that contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, the five main ones being: Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism, Alliances and the assassination of Duke Franz Ferdinand.

Imperialism
Britain had an empire stretching from Canada to India and Australia; all these people would support Britain if it went to war. France also had colonies in Africa and both Austria-Hungary and Russia had colonised other countries, while Germany searched for land to extend its power. Because of colonialism, when the war started not only were the colonial powers involved in the fighting, but also their empires which resulted in an extension of the fighting and an increased number of deaths. The countries that had established empires fought to protect and extend them, while Germany wanted to expand its influence and conquer its own colonies. This meant that each country not only fought to support their allies, but also to increase its range of power and influence.

Nationalism
The increase of nationalism was directly caused by imperialism. The colonial powers took over many countries through violence and bloodshed, many of those countries desired independence. One of these countries was Bosnia. Bosnia didn’t want to be under the rule of Austria-Hungary, it wanted to have a say in how the country was run and how its people lived, it wanted independence. This was one of the reasons why the Black Hand gang assassinated Franz Ferdinand.

Militarism
Before the assassination of Franz Ferdinand Britain and Germany increased their army, their navy and spent millions of pounds on weaponry as they prepared to extend their power by force. This meant that when Franz Ferdinand was killed both countries were ready for war and had now been provided with a perfect excuse to use their extended navy and military. As Germany had drawn up the “Schlieffen Plan” in 1911, three years before the war actually broke out it is obvious that Kaiser Wilhelm had intended to go to war and had long been waiting for an excuse to do so.

Alliances
In 1879 Austria-Hungary formed an alliance with Germany. Together they formed an alliance with Italy in 1882, which was known as the tipple alliance. There was also an alliance called the Triple Entente which included France, Russia and Britain. Both of these were formed a long time before the war broke out, which seems to indicate, that war was expected by those countries, as otherwise they wouldn’t feel the need to protect their interests through alliances. Due to the treaties that bound those countries into mutual support the assassination of Franz Ferdinand quickly turned into a world war as many countries were implicated due to their alliances. If it had not been for those alliances the war could have been contained and resolved more locally.

Assassination
I think the assassination of Duke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was merely used as an excuse to go to war. I come to this conclusion because of the existence of Alliances, which were formed many years before the start of the war, which proofs that the war wasn’t just about the assassination. Since forming alliances show that the countries were preparing for war, as otherwise they wouldn’t have signed these treaties.

Therefore I come to the conclusion that all of these factors played a part in causing the First World War: the conflict between Imperialism and Nationalism (assassination), as well as the increase of navy and military and the creation of alliances to protect and strengthen ones empire meant that the assassination of Franz Ferdinand resulted in the First World War.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Guilt Clause

...At the end of WWI, the Allies decreed in the Treaty of Versailles that Germany and her allies would take full responsibility for the loss and damage resulting from the war. Germany would be forced to pay reparations to the Allies to repair the damage and consequences brought upon them by Germany’s aggression. This is known as the “Guilt Clause” and is seen as unfair by most historians who are able to cite many other reasons for the conflict, including the rival alliances, Anglo-German rivalry, Imperialism, and a clash of three empires. However, some historians have blamed Germany and the Kaiser for the outbreak of war. An Anglo-German rivalry, Imperialism, and the clash of three empires are three deeper causes that led to the beginning of WWI...

Words: 348 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Worlld War 1

...Dillon Milliron 4-3-14 Period 6th WWI Essay World War I is known as the war to end all wars. This statement was obviously not accurate. There are many topics that caused WWI but the main causes are militarism, nationalism, the building of alliances and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The two alliances that fought against one another in this war were the Triple Entente which consisted of France, United Kingdom, Russia (whose place in the war would later be taken by the United States of America) and the Central Powers which consisted of Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. WWI took place mainly in various parts of Europe. The Great War lasted for 4 years, from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918. Militarism, nationalism, and the forming of alliances are what escalated and kicked off World War I. Militarism is the belief that a country should build and maintain the strongest army. Every country in the world has the desire to possess the strongest and largest army, stronger and larger than all other countries. During the build up to WWI there was a mad scramble to build the strongest army amongst all of the countries that participated in the war. France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the United States all wanted to prove that their army was superior to all others. There is no better way to prove that your military is the best then to put it into war against another military. Building a strong military was not cheap at all, “Counting...

Words: 1131 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Causes of Wwii

...To what extent was the Treaty of Versailles a cause of WWII? Treaty of Versailles was the main trigger that sparked the start of the most devastating war in human history. Due to its enforcement and terms, it caused the ideological fascist movement after WWI, German’s patriotism, and the violent expansion of Germany’s economy which violated terms of the treaty, ultimately resulting to World War II. After WWI the ideology of the Fascist movement became influential in Germany in reaction to the harsh terms of the Versailles Treaty. Fascistic views of political violence, war, and imperialism as a means to achieve national rejuvenation were appealed to the citizens (Wikipedia, 2014). This was in response to the Treaty of Versailles. After WWI, Germany was on a road to repair, but they were handicapped, and weakened by the terms of the treaty (History Learning Site, 2000). They had no major military or strong industry to support the growth of the country (Hikman, n.d.). The people were angered and infuriated by the ruinous effect of the Treaty. Hence, the nation realised that in order to regain the national strength, Germany would need to take on board a new form of political system that was iron-fisted and disregard anything but the restoration of pride (English Online, n.d.). This brought the rise of Hitler, the Nazi Party and Fascism. Adolf Hitler was a radical advocate who fought to overturn the harsh Treaty and restore Germany to her former glory (English Online, n.d.)....

Words: 1119 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

What Did Students Learn About The 1900's

...World War I and II, gangsters and criminals, and lots and lots of inventions. More events happened in the 1900’s than in the 17 and 1800’s. Some people say it is more interesting and they’d rather learn about the 1900’s. Also these things happened more recently and these things can happen again in a heartbeat. This is why students need to learn about the 1900’s more in school. In the 1900’s a lot of events happened. Learning about the 17 and 1800’s is mostly about the Civil War. Learning about the 1900’s would be about wars like WWI and WWII. Famous criminals like Bonnie and Clyde and Al Capone, who also came through Chicago, Illinois. All of the inventions from entertainment, to cleaning supplies, and to transportation. And some famous...

Words: 322 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Great Migration Research Paper

...The Great Migration was based on a movement of more than 6 million African Americans who migrated from the Southern states to northern Midwest states in the 20th century. This caused a major change on the urban life in the United States. This was a voluntary, enacted movement of these African Americans. At the end of the civil war, the bulk of these freed men stayed in the south because they had no means of going anywhere and were stuck sharecropping. During this migration, for the most part, the early migration at the end of WWI and during WWI occurred in some 8 northern major cities, like New York, 2/3 of these African Americans moved to these major cities. It’s almost different after WWII, but to western and northern cities cites like Denver. The first great migration occurs in the outbreak of WWI, which includes 1 million African Americans. When the factory buttons go on, mass industrialization occurs not only in factories but with the growth of new railroads and need for automobiles. This causes a need for employment not just cause there’s more jobs but...

Words: 655 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

What Extent Was the Nature of the Schlieffen Plan Responsible for the Outbreak of a General European War

...As Taylor argues the Schlieffen plan aimed through attacking France then Russia was the reason for the outbreak of a general european war in August 1914 however it also states that it was a smaller piece in a larger time of activity forcing the Germans to attack first. Unlike source 1, Martel and Greenville argue for a completely different point, Greenville goes on to talk about the activities between Russia and France forced the European conflict with the decision to “mobilise” and the alliances which France and Russia had created. And Martel in contrast also argues that the war was that which was pushed by Russia creating a comfortable consensus that the countries were forced into a conflict rather than one instigating an aggressive action. This pushes the point for a general consensus of a slithered over the brink argument which is a popular method for avoiding putting the blame on a country. Greenville does not blame the schlieffen plan for the outbreak of the war but instead the alliance between France and Russia had pushed Europe into a readiness for war and Russia's decision to “mobilise” was the reason for the outbreak of the war. Greenville even states that “the decision the Tsar and his ministers took to mobilise....made war inevitable in 1914”. This is a lesser looked into cause of the outbreak of the war and what was happening in the Balkans at the time with the annexation of Serbia. This does however make a general slithered over the brink consensus that Russia...

Words: 855 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

World War 1 Causes

...There were many events that lead to World War One however there were four causes that were the ultimate factors, these were nationalism, imperialism, militarism and alliance systems. Each cause did not single-handedly cause the war but it was the combination of these factors that ultimately led to the war, a war that would change the world forever. Undoubtedly one of the major causes of WWI was nationalism and it truly fuelled the hatred between European countries. In the years prior to the war many Europeans cherished a firm belief in the cultural, economic and military supremacy of their nation. Nationalism assured citizens of the moral integrity of their nation and in contrast demoralised rival nations. It insured citizens that in the...

Words: 961 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

The Death of a Prominant Language

...influential to the ways of writing we have today. Sumerians were the first ancient civilization to start archiving the rules of writing that we use in present day. The lexicon of Sumerian language has yet to be fully deciphered; this is due to a lack of information. We have been studying Sumerian language since before the outbreak of WWI. Input from many different cultures in the attempt to decide if this language is truly the oldest recorded language in history, has led to our current level of knowledge on Sumerian language. Germany started full-scale investigations, while the French were the first to discover actual writing from this ancient culture. This paper is meant to elaborate upon the knowledge of Sumeria and its peoples writing styles. Ancient Sumerian language is thought to be the oldest written language in history. This may or may not be the case (Huffington Post, 2009). Findings in the area of determining the age of some written languages are uncertain. But for the most part, Sumerian is a definite running mate for the title of oldest written language. Sumerian was first started to be put into writing around 3200 BCE (Academia.edu, 2007). The main reason for the start of this was for agricultural purposes. Clay counters were used to keep track of how many plants were sealed into a container. Those counters were hard to keep track of, therefore, Sumerians came up with cuneiform. Cuneiform, is a style of writing used by many cultures that involves wedge shaped signs; and...

Words: 1404 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Woodrow Wilson and American Diplomacy

...Wilson, the twenty-eighth President of the United States, who began spreading the principles of American diplomacy in the twentieth century. Until the early part of the twentieth century American foreign policy consisted mainly of isolationist tendencies. However, two factors quickly pushed America into foreign affairs. America was rapidly expanding its power and the international system centered on Europe began to crash. Until Wilson became president American foreign policy was aimed at fulfilling manifest destiny and to staying free of problems abroad. American diplomacy reflected Wilson’s Basic view of world power by helping spread democratic structure to other nations. It wasn’t perfect though and thus rejected his views of some post WWI thoughts such as the League of Nations. Woodrow Wilson, born Dec 28, 1856, served as President of Princeton University and then became Governor of New Jersey in 1910. He was elected president in 1912 as a democrat when Taft and Roosevelt divided up the republican vote. In the first few years as president Wilson concentrated on anti-trust measures and reorganizing the federal banking system. After being narrowly re-elected Wilson concentrated on World War I. He tried to sustain US neutrality but failed and later asked Congress to declare war. Wilson also played a major role in the post-war period attempting to create the League of Nations and such. President Wilson’s views on foreign policy have been seen as great by some and horrible...

Words: 1656 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Causes Of Nationalism In Ww1

...WWI began in the 1914, the outbreak of WWI was due to a number of significant factors, which included a lot of Millenarianism and Nationalism and the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, the most important factors to be analysed will be the whole start of the war, which was caused through the nationalism and the militarism. Which only led up to the Assassination of the Archduke. Nationalism, was one of the biggest problems, due to the fact that every country was a nationalistic at that time. The whole nationalism started of in the early 1900, where all the european countries constituted a brutal rivalry and competition. There influences were cause by Germany,Russia, Austria-Hungary, Britain and France they all only wanted...

Words: 1036 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Assess the View That the Impact of the First World War Was the Main Reason for the Booming Economy in the Usa in the 1920’s.

...After analysis of the interpretations as well as use of my own knowledge, I have reached the conclusion that the war was indeed the main reason why the economy boomed in 1920’s America. The interpretations that support this are A, B and C. While certainly there are other factors that are presented in all of the interpretations, I believe that the prominence of the war throughout these 3 passages support the strength of the argument. Interpretation D attributes Andrew Mellon as the main reason for the boom, but as Cannadine is the only one to do so this limits the strength of his argument. The war was the main cause of the boom as it provided the catalyst necessary to start of a chain of events that provided a huge boost to the economy. Without World War I, it could be argued that the American economy would not have boomed to the extent that it did in the 1920’s. One of the main reasons for this school of thought is an argument provided in interpretation A. Jim potter states that World War I provided an ‘impetus both to agricultural and industrial expansion’. This was because of the fact that the war brought in a need for armaments and munitions to supply the forces with, and there were many countries that could not yield the materials and products due to their lacklustre industry. America was not like these countries, and with the stimulus of the war they were able to quickly improve their industries and make these new products. As a result of this, as the historian Gary...

Words: 1935 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Ausooooo

...Chapter 22 World War I 1. Create a timeline of the events leading to the outbreak of war in Europe starting with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand June 28, 1914. 2. What was Wilson's first response to the outbreak of war in Europe? 3 Why was it difficult for the U.S. to remain a neutral trading nation? 4. What was the Lusitania crises and what was the U.S. response? 5.Describe the next 2 sinkings and the U.S. response. 6. Describe the Sussex Pledge. 7. Eventhough we were neutral, how was the U.S. really favoring the Allies? 8. Which ethnic groups in the U.S. favored the Central Powers and WHY? 9. How did the British make sure that America had a negative view of the Germans? 10. Discuss the U.S. lack of preparedness. Which groups and persons thought we should prepare just in case we were drawn into war? 11. What was President Wilson's stance on preparedness? 12. What groups and areas of the country were vehemently against preparedness and why? 13. Describe the election of 1916 and tell why Wilson won. 14. What were Wilson's last peace efforts to keep us out of war? 15. What are 3 major reasons why, eventhough he wanted peace, Wilson had to ask Congress for a declaration of war in April, 1817? 16. What was Wilson's slogan in his war declaration request? 17. Describe the War Industries Board and its leader Bernard Baruch. 18. What was Herbert Hoover's role in preparing for war? 19. What actions did the Fuel Administration...

Words: 772 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Role Of Nationalism In The Outbreak Of World War I

...Failure comes only when we forget our ideals and objectives and principles. These are wise words from Jawaharlal Nehru. America is a very selfish country but in the big picture we accomplished our objectives but the outcome of those accomplishments were more detrimental than instrumental. The United States achieved four main objectives which lead directly to the entering of World War I. One of those four is Nationalism. Nationalism played an important role in the outbreak of World War I. The only way to prove and show your loyalty towards ones country they would support them in every decision made by that certain country. During this time the only to demonstrate true nationalism, war was the only option. The thought of a whole nation fighting...

Words: 853 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Appeasement

...APPEASEMENT OF GERMANY After seizing power in Germany, Hitler set in place an ambitious foreign policy that aimed to undo the effects of the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler wanted to: * re-take control of the territories that it had lost at Versailles, such as the Rhineland * re-arm its military forces - something forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles * expand its borders to provide Lebensraum (living space) for its population * unite all the German-speaking people of Europe under the control of Nazi Germany * Hitler was prepared to gamble that the other European powers would be reluctant to go to war to stop him. WHAT WAS APPEASEMENT After 10 million deaths in the First World War, many countries were determined to prevent any future conflict. In the 1920s the League of Nations tried to follow the idea of collective security: * the idea that countries acting together could discourage aggression and, if necessary, act together to stop aggressors. * This was not very successful as it proved hard for all the countries in the League of Nations to agree on a common policy. As a result a second idea was considered. Appeasement was a policy adopted by Britain during the 1930s. * This policy developed from the growing belief that some countries, especially Germany, had been unfairly treated in the peace settlement of 1918-1919. * When they began to demand aggressively that some terms in the Versailles treaty be...

Words: 1726 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

The Fall of the Ottoman Empire & Its Impact on the Middle East

...Middle East countries to be self-governed, while the West such as Great Britain and France had more interest in Europe than in the Middle East enabled the former to play a dominant role of colonization in the region. This seeded confrontation between two different civilizations, resulting in chaos later and to a large extent helping shape the Middle East in today's world. This paper attempts to examine this history arguing how the Ottoman Empire declined and eventually dissolved at the end of WWI. It shows that the internal problems of the Empire, such as its backward political and economic system, failed to compete with the increasing influence of the Western European countries, whose government was more efficient and more industrialized than the former, in the Middle East. The paper starts with a discussion of the contemporary situation in the Empire, and then deals with the problems that led to the conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the European powers over the Middle East during WWI. It finally analyzes how the defeat of the Ottomans and the increasing British and French dominance in the Middle East laid the ground for today's conflicts in the region between the Arabic states and the Jewish nation, which is supported by the West. Since 1600s the Ottoman Empire had controlled a large territory extended from Persian Gulf to Atlantic and from Hungary in the north to Egypt in the south. For about two hundred years, it enjoyed prosperity and power. By 1800s, many sultans...

Words: 3818 - Pages: 16