There were a variety of long-term and short-term causes of World War I. In the short term, one of the immediate causes was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian nationalist in June 1914. This act set off a series of events that quickly led to war.
In the long term, there were several factors that contributed to the outbreak of war. One was the growing sense of nationalism in Europe, which led people to be more loyal to their country than to any other entity. This increased competition between countries and made it more likely for them to go to war with one another.
Another long-term cause was the increasing militarism in Europe. Countries were investing more and more in their militaries, and the arms race was becoming a major issue. This made war seem like a more likely option, as countries felt they needed to be prepared for any potential conflict.
Finally, the long-term cause of imperialism also played a role in the outbreak of war. As countries competed for colonies and resources, they became more likely to go to war with one another.
In 1914, World War I began. The causes of this conflict could be divided into two categories: long and short term. Imperialism, alliances, patriotism, and militarism were among the longer-term factors responsible for it. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the quick trigger that caused World War One to break out. Militarism is the advancement of huge and powerful military forces, which is a long-term cause of the Great War.
This in turn led to an arms race, as countries vied to have the most powerful militaries.
Militarism played a large role in the outbreak of WWI because it led to an arms race between the major powers of Europe. These countries were constantly trying to one-up each other in terms of military power, which led to a sense of unease and mistrust. In addition, alliances formed between these countries added to the tension, as each country felt obligated to defend its allies if they were attacked.
Nationalism was also a significant factor in the lead up to the war. This is the belief that one’s country is superior to all others and that it is one’s duty to uphold its honor and power. This intense pride in one’s country led to a sense of competition between the nations of Europe, as each tried to prove that it was the most powerful.
All of these long term causes contributed to the outbreak of war in 1914. However, it was the short term cause of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand that ultimately served as the trigger for World War I.
The assassination occurred on June 28th, 1914, when Ferdinand was visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was shot by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the death of Ferdinand and used it as an excuse to declare war.
The long and short term causes of World War I led to a conflict that would have far-reaching consequences. The Great War would lead to the downfall of empires, the rise of new nations, and the death of millions of people.
Germany had the world’s most powerful and biggest military at the start of the 20th century. Britain controlled the seas, and both countries were engaged in a race to outdo each other in every way. (Humanities Alive 4, p 5) The rivalry between nations with large military forces generated conflict and tension, engendering suspicion and animosity between countries and alliances. This dispute was most acute between Britain and Germany, with neither country wanting to fight the other.
In Europe, the network of alliances between different countries acted like a pressure cooker. The alliances were made up of two main groups. The first group was known as the Central Powers and it included Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. The second group was known as the Triple Entente and it included Britain, Russia and France.
These alliances were originally formed to make countries feel more secure, but they also had the effect of dragging other countries into war. For example, if one country in an alliance went to war, the other countries in that same alliance would be forced to go to war as well. This happened in 1914 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia (a small country in south-eastern Europe).
Russia, who was allied with Serbia, then declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germany, who was allied with Austria-Hungary, then declared war on Russia. France, who was allied with Russia, then declared war on Germany. Britain, who was allied with France, then declared war on Germany. Italy, who was allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary, did not declare war at this stage.
As a result of all these declarations of war, most of the countries in Europe were soon at war with each other. Alliances were not the only cause of World War I. Another important long-term cause was militarism.
Militarism is a philosophy or system that places great importance on the military and its power. This was a cause of World War I because countries with strong militaries were more likely to go to war.
They believed that having a strong military would make their country look powerful and prevent other countries from attacking them. As a result, countries began stockpiling large numbers of weapons and making their armies as big and strong as possible.
The two nations had a turbulent relationship. This brought the two countries and their alliances one step closer to war. The development of patriotism, as well as conscription, was encouraged by the other larger European nations in order to enhance their military might. (Humanities Alive 4, p 5) This heightened anxiety throughout Europe and prompted individuals to prepare for battle. Nationalism, along with the growth of nationalism, fueled this enthusiasm for amassing army strength.
When Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in June 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This act then triggered a domino effect throughout Europe as various countries began to declare war on one another, leading to the start of World War I.
The long term causes of World War I were:
– militarism
– alliances
– imperialism
– nationalism.
The short term cause was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Militarism is a philosophy or system that places great importance on military power and prepares for war. Alliances are agreements between two or more countries to work together to protect each other. Imperialism is the practice by which a strong nation controls or dominates others. Nationalism is intense pride in and devotion to one’s country.
