What Caused World War I?
Militarism
Increased military spending (due in large part to imperialism and nationalism) and the glorification of war. This also led to a wide-scale arms race between European countries. Social Darwinism was also a big part of the underlying methodology for militarism too!
Empires had to be defended and European nations increased military spending enormously in the late 19th and early 20th century. By 1890 the strongest nation militarily in Europe was Germany which had a strong army and built up a navy to rival England’s fleet. France, Italy, Japan and the United States quickly joined in the naval buildup.
Empires had to be defended and European nations increased military spending enormously in the late 19th and early 20th century. By 1890 the strongest nation militarily in Europe was Germany which had a strong army and built up a navy to rival England’s fleet. France, Italy, Japan and the United States quickly joined in the naval buildup.
Alliances
A complicated web of alliances was created in an attempt to prevent an individual's country from losing the next European war. This has a MAJOR effect on the escalation of the Great War, because of the mutual aid treaties and alliances criss-crossing European borders. It really was this complicated... By 1907, Europe was divided into two alliance groups: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance.
The Triple Entente
|
The Triple Alliance
|
Germany knew about the French and Russian alliance, which was designed to force Germany into having to fight France and Russia at the same time. They planned their entire military strategy (called the Schlieffen Plan) to prevent a war on two fronts.
Imperialism
Stronger countries (specifically European ones) expanded their social, political, economic, and military control over weaker territories.
For many centuries, European nations built empires. Colonies, shackled by mercantilism, supplied raw materials and provided markets for manufactured goods. As Germany industrialized, she competed with other nations and colonies made her more competitive.
This led to a race among the European powers, as each tried not to be left behind.
For many centuries, European nations built empires. Colonies, shackled by mercantilism, supplied raw materials and provided markets for manufactured goods. As Germany industrialized, she competed with other nations and colonies made her more competitive.
This led to a race among the European powers, as each tried not to be left behind.
Nationalism
"Excessive patriotism" or "patriotism to the detriment of others"
Essentially this is the belief that your country is better than every other country. So much better in fact that every country should be like yours, ethnically, religiously, socially, economically, etc. Also, it emphasizes that people from your ethnicity, culture, origins, language, etc. have the right to govern themselves through (theoretically) self-determination. The Balkans are very nationalistic, especially as they have spent the past few centuries being oppressed by the Ottomans and Austrians. |
|
Militarism: https://armingallsides.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Vierbund05h.jpg
Alliances: https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/467011573941010433/1240/10/scaletowidth
Imperialism: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ds.09327/
Nationalism: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Unclesamwantyou.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/30a_Sammlung_Eybl_Gro%C3%9Fbritannien._Alfred_Leete_%281882%E2%80%931933%29_Britons_%28Kitchener%29_wants_you_%28Briten_Kitchener_braucht_Euch%29._1914_%28Nachdruck%29%2C_74_x_50_cm._%28Slg.Nr._552%29.jpg
Alliances: https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/467011573941010433/1240/10/scaletowidth
Imperialism: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ds.09327/
Nationalism: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Unclesamwantyou.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/30a_Sammlung_Eybl_Gro%C3%9Fbritannien._Alfred_Leete_%281882%E2%80%931933%29_Britons_%28Kitchener%29_wants_you_%28Briten_Kitchener_braucht_Euch%29._1914_%28Nachdruck%29%2C_74_x_50_cm._%28Slg.Nr._552%29.jpg
The Spark
|
|