Essay on cause of world war - 551 Words

Cause of World War I Unlike World War II, the causes of World War I are not as clear cut. Historians say the war had been building up for some time prior to 1914. The quot;Great Warquot; was not caused by megalomaniacs hungry for power as in the case of Mussolini and Hitler during World War II. The origins are more complex. First one is the alliance Systems The causes can be explained, more in political terms than human terms. From the end of the Franco-Prussian War, a system of secret alliances developed in Europe. This eventually split the continent into two hostile sides. Because so many different powers were involved in mutual defense agreements, when the war did happen, it involved nearly every country of†¦show more content†¦In addition, before the conflict happened, the militaries of each country had drawn up complete plans for mobilization. These plans only awaited the go-ahead signal. The existence of secret battle plans stimulated espionage, which in turn aroused greater hatred and fear. Thirdly the nationalistic Beliefs Strong feelings of nationalism fed the fires of hatred in pre-war Europe. It turned Frenchman against German and Russian against Austrian. Nationalistic speeches and writings (especially in countries like Germany) hastened the war by painting it as the best test for proof of national superiority. These general causes created an atmosphere in Europe which made war a likelihood. The spark which ignited the flame and transformed these underlying problems into a frenzy of hostilities happened in the Balkans. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated while visiting Sarajevo. At first, it appeared to be another Balkan crisis that might pass without a major disturbance, but a month later, Austria severed relations with Serbia, a move that preceded war by only a few days. Germany stood back of Austrias actions, while Russia stepped forward to defend it small Balkan friend. Despite frantic efforts by would-be peacemakers to localize the war, it spread rapidly, involving next France and Belgium, and soon Great Britain. As the world looked on, Europe erupted into warShow MoreRelatedThe Cause Of World War I966 Words   |  4 Pages World War I is known today as one of America’s worst wars in history, due to the facts because it was the First World War and well over eight million people died. World War I was between the countries of Germany, United States, Russia, France, and among many others. There are many causes of World War I, both immediate and underlying causes. Immediate causes meaning a specific short-term occurrence that is directly related to the event and essentially what created the event. The immediate cause ofRead MoreThe Causes Of The First World War1406 Words   |  6 PagesOption A: What in your view were the causes of the First World War? How have historians’ views on the war changed over time? Historical events are crucial in human thoughts since they understand themselves better in the present through analyzing their past occurrences. Historical events help us to know the causes of certain past events, therefore, making the cause to entail long-term ideology events and actions. Nevertheless, the causes of certain events may differ depending on the scale of historyRead MoreThe Causes Of The First World War1395 Words   |  6 PagesThe causes of the First World War were similar and differed from the causes of the Second World War politically, economically, and socially. Both of these significant, historical events were substantially affected by the interaction of dominating societies during this time period. 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Alliances between countries, nationalism, military structures and imperialism all played significant roles in the conflict, but there were more immediate origins that were also important when it came down to the decision to go to war (Barnes, 1929). During the crisis of 1914 there were decisions made and actions taken by generals and statesmen, includingRead MoreThe Causes Of World War II1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe Causes of World War II: The seeds of world war II lies in the instability created by world war I. particularly the instability in Germany in the economic and political conditions due to the harshness of the Versailles treaty and as a result the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party The effects of the treaty of Versailles: The treaty of Versailles harshness was one of the main causes for the outbreak of World War II. It began in 1919 when Lloyd George of England, Orlando of Italy, ClemenceauRead MoreCauses of the First World War1164 Words   |  5 PagesWorld War I Essay When a nation’s hunger for power and control become too great, the nation may be pushed to do things that may have harsh consequences. This was the case in the early 1900’s when the world engaged in its first major global military conflict. There were a number of causes of the First World War; due to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany accepted full responsibility for the war. Although the Germans had a large contribution in starting the war, they should not be fully heldRead MoreThe Causes of World War I1090 Words   |  5 Pagesterrifying wars in history broke out. One by one, starting with Germany, the nations of Europe picked up their weapons and entered a four-year period of annihilation and destruction. Germany was by all means responsible for the conditions that led to the outbreak of World War I due to their hunger for sovereignty which crippled the balance of power in Europe, their unconditional support for Austria, and the German war plan which transforme d what should have been a local war into a horrendous world war.Read MoreThe Causes Of World War I1171 Words   |  5 PagesA Historical Analysis of the Causes of World War I (187)The initial causes of World War I can be defined through the problematic issues of late British Imperialism during the Boxer rebellion in 1900. Many Chinese citizens had become rebellious to German imperialism, which allowed Kaiser Wilhelm II to send the German East Asia Squadron to quell the uprising. This action forced the Great Powers, such as Great Britain and Russia, to also send troops to stop the rebellion. Due to the rising power ofRead MoreCauses of World War II784 Words   |  3 Pagesglobal conflict of the Second World War was started because of the inexistent actions taken to prevent the war. The Second World War did not happen directly, but there was a series of events that led up to the horrific war. The deadly World War II had begun by the inability to enforce the Treaty of Versailles, the corrupted League of Nations, and the failed policy of appeasement. These three points are long term causes which express thee reasoning for the outbreak of war. The inability to enforce