How the Alliance System Led to WWI

        Even though Bismarck was a very skillful diplomat that for many years made Germany the center of the diplomatic stage, someone else assumed power. While Bismarck was in charge, he kept France isolated, and Austria, Russia, Italy and Britain remained on friendly terms with Germany. Bismarck's alliances were harmless and kept Europe at peace. His follower, Kaiser Wilhelm was ambitious, but ended up being an hopeless ruler. He rejected the idea that Germany was a "fulfilled state", and wanted to make Germany not only a European power but a world power. To follow his ambitions, he often adopted threats and other unpopular methods. Meanwhile, Britain was awaking to the coming out of Germany as a great European power and also a great colonial power. Wilhelm proved far more ambitious in establishing "a place in the sun" for Germany. With the effective dismissal of Bismarck the new Kaiser was determined to establish Germany as a great colonial power.

        After Germany and Austria-Hungary concluded their agreement (as allies), Italy was brought in the situation with the signing of the Triple Alliance. Under the terms of this treaty, Germany and Austria-Hungary promised to assist Italy if she were attacked by France, and vice versa: Italy was bound to aid Germany or Austria-Hungary if France declared war against either. Even though Italy wasn't as "powerful" as its other ally friends, it was still trying to become potent. It had already fought several wars to reorganize itself, and had borrowed land from Austria for its unification. Still, it was a poor country, very low in regards of industrialization, and also agrarian.
        One of the main events that led to WWI was the day that the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, who was shot by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. The Serbian Black Hand had to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand because it would hit Austria-Hungary straight away. Austria considered the murder of the heir to the throne an open Serbian attack on the existence of the Dual Monarchy. And because of the assassination, Austria was left without an heir thus open to any attack. Following this, Austria Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia with demands such as to hold back all Pan-Slavic movements and also to allow officers from Austria-Hungary to enter Serbia and investigate the Sarajevo murders. Austria Hungary actually wanted Serbia to deny the ultimatum and thus begin a war, so it decided that Serbia's reply was unsatisfactory.

        Each country had its allies and according to the military doomsday machine, it didn't matter who attacked, but instead, who mobilized first. The alliances were made in secret and so produced much distrust and suspicion among the European powers. Because of this suspicion, it prevented the diplomats to come up with an appropriate solution to many of the crises preceding the war. Also, since the European powers had made mobilization agreements, any small disputes concerning one power might lead to a war involving all powers, thus generating a World War. Maybe if these powers hadn't had an Alliance System, then war would have been more restricted to some places only, not even proceeding to WWII.