The first World War, better known as World War I or the Great War, began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his expecting wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo, Bosnia during an open top parade. Despite the trauma that the First World War resonated throughout the globe, it led to a number of developments and innovations in society such as the rights of women, the end of class system, various form of arts influenced by the war such as poetry, music and paintings. New inventions such as the wristwatch, zips, stainless steel and pilot communication.
There are also the inventions of new weapons and arms of which, after having been modernized, have led to the revolutionary technology and weapons we now have in the twenty-first century, such as the tank, machine guns and the use of poisonous gas. There are various reasons as to why this revolutionary, yet terrifying, came to begin, including short term and long term reasons which, once combined, led to the beginning of a war that was predicted decades ago due to the rising tension across Europe. There were long term issues such as militarism, the alliances, imperialism and nationalism.
Otherwise known as M. A. I. N. All of these underlying reasons led to bigger cause such as the arms race, imperial rivalry in general, the alliance system and the crises in Morocco and the Balkans. Short term issues include the chain of events; AustriaHungary’s ultimatum to Serbia and its declaration of war, Russia’s immediate mobilisation, the Schlieffen Plan from 1897, and England’s declaration of war. Otherwise known as A. R. S. E. These chain of events were started following Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination and Serbia’s on of the sixth out of the ten conditions of Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum.
The importance of the alliances formed throughout Europe decades before the First World War which separated and united powers can be argued as the most important factor as some historians may argue that it was a direct cause to the outbreak of war due to the fact that it led local hostility into global and continental aggression, allowing the possibility of war to spread far and wide easily. This eventually led to the war in 1914 when those in the Triple Entente provided support for one of the members, Russia when Russia supported Serbia against AustriaHungary, who in turn was supported by Germany from its alliance, the Triple Alliance.
Different alliance systems finally released the pent up tension from decades before into wars between them. Albeit few realised that the war would become global due to several factors including the alliance system, it was not possible for it to prevent, let alone bring the war to a halt. However, there is also the possibility that the alliance systems were not the cause of the war but rather an instinctual reaction to the major powers of Europe following the collapse of the Bismarck alliances which led to the build-up of fear and envy across Europe.
This was also empowered by Germany’s hunger for power and presenting itself as a challenge for other major powers such as Great Britain who came to become concerned for its country’s and empire’s safety from its splendid isolation, leading to the creation of the Entente Cordiale – later joined by Russia, part of the former Bismarck alliance between itself and Germany. In a nutshell, the alliance system contributed to the build-up of tension between the major powers of Europe which led to other factors which cause the war such as the Moroccan and Balkans crises (imperial rivalry) and A.
R. S. E – without the alliance systems, the chain events would be much smaller and the war would only be a short feud between Austria-Hungary and Serbia – the alliances dragged the rest of Europe into an insignificant conflict in a matter of days. However, the alliance systems alone could not have been the only and main cause to a global war but can only be partly responsible, if not just a catalyst. Imperial rivalry contributed much of the tension in the strained relationships amid the European powers. Britain had the biggest empire, followed by France.
So much so that it was said “the sun never sets in their dominions”. Most European empires, except Austria-Hungary and Russia, had colonies and Africa which led to a great extent of clashes between the countries to expand their empires. It led to the formation and strengthening of alliances and ententes which split Europe in half. An example of imperial rivalry can be shown through Germany and Kaiser Wilhelm Il’s 1888 ‘ Weltpolitik’ (world policy). The aim of Weltpolitik was to show the world Germany’s strength and power.
It was a way for Germany to show that Bismarck’s departure also marked the departure of realpolitik – being a powerful yet friendly neighbour in Europe. This was replaced by Weltpolitik, in the same way Bismarck wanted the country to be approachable, Wilhelm wanted the country to be overpowering. Wilhelm was determined to find a “place in the sun” and expand its empire. This referred to Britain’s “where the sun never sets” empire and how Germany envied Britain. The only way for this was for Germany to expand its navy in order to colonize more countries, threatening the British naval supremacy.
Also, this later led to the 1905 and 1911 Moroccan crises due to the Kaiser’s determination to challenge the Entente Cordiale (alliance between Britain and France) and test its strength. The first Moroccan crisis was between 1905-06 during which France was interested in Morocco in order to complete its North African Empire. The Kaiser, however, decided to interfere in Morocco in order to test the strength of the Entente Cordiale and hopefully split it apart – he believed that Britain would not support France.
In 1905 the Kaiser visited the Moroccan port, Tangiers, where he made a speech in order to convince the people that Morocco should remain independent of France, which sparked the crisis. Despite the Kaiser’s hopes, Britain supported France as it refused to back down. However, France agreed to the Kaiser’s demand for an international conference to discuss the future of Morocco. The conference (1906 Spain, Algeciras) was a cataclysm for the Kaiser – only Austria-Hungary supported his demands for Moroccan independence.
Though there were no major effects, except defeat, on Germany, the Kaiser’s action caused significant changes in the alliances: The Entente Cordiale became stronger; Kaiser’s plans to break apart the Entente Cordiale had backfire – it only strengthened the relations between Britain and France; Anglo-German rivalry intensified due to the Kaiser laying the blame on Britain for his humiliation. The second Moroccan crisis was in 1911, when the Kaiser sent the Panther, a gunboat, to Agadir – a Moroccan port – to force the French to agree to give Germany the French Congo in Central Africa as compensation.
Again, the Kaiser’s actions backfire and Britain was resolute to support France as both countries believed the Kaiser was setting up a naval base in Morocco which would threaten Britain and France’s navy. David Lloyd George made a speech at Mansion House in London directly warning the Germans that Britain would back the French – by war if necessary. Germany backed own rather than risking a war. Again, the crisis had significant effects: tension in Europe peaked at the “close shave” to war between Britain and Germany; further strengthened the Entente Cordiale; the Kaiser was humiliated and, again, lay the blame on Britain.
Imperial Rivalry clearly presents the effects of militarism, the alliances, imperialism and nationalism on the build-up of tension which later led to the war. Militarism is shown in the Arms Race. Provided that most of the powers in Europe could feel the burden of war looming over their nations, they were desperate not to be surpassed in any areas of their military. Germany, France and Russia began to conscript large portions of their male population giving their countrymen experience, should a war start. This lead to nationalism, when suddenly the men were ready and willing to fight.
The build-up in conscription and arms meant that soon every nation in Europe had a huge army at the ready. And despite the armies ruining their economies due to the expenses of dreadnoughts and new weapons, the nations could not let their army go; they were somewhat drawn to the idea of war and the destruction of their enemies in order to give them the security they needed to allow disarmament. Germany also begins to build a modernised, powerful navy that challenges and threatens the British, forcing Britain to end its “splendid isolation” and create an alliance with France.
As aforementioned, in short without the Alliances, the Great War would have merely been a war between Serbia and AustriaHungary. Had it not been for the alliance system, the rest of the European powers would not have been dragged in, turning local aggression to a global conflict. Imperialism is shown in imperial rivalry and the crises. Germany’s requisite for a colonial and Central European empire caused a great deal of pressure and tension on the Triple Entente, making war a likely possibility. Germany constantly threatened Britain and France in order to acquire territory in Africa, mostly, through its innovation of its arms, navy and army.
This only strengthened the relations between France and Britain which created a bigger gap between the alliances in Europe. Nationalism was a factor which started and continued the war. During WWI, governments assured and deluded their populations that their enemies were people that deserved little to no respect and were to be disgusted by. The cockiness of the German caused the Schlieffen plan to fail and the towards Germans led to staggering numbers of recruits 1914 and for those recruits to continue fighting despite the horror of the trenches.