Armament race-Britain and Germany have been competing in the development of dreadnoughts *naval race*.
Influence of military leaders-great when the powers were preparing for the war
Conscription- All European great powers (apart from Britain) have adopted conscription. All young men had to go through military training and when the country was at war, the young men would be called upon to join the military forces.
- Nationalism : one’s love for his fatherland.
Ultra-nationalism (extreme nationalism ) makes one want the government to be stronger in foreign policies.
It has made people in the eastern Balkan states fight for their freedom and independence from the Ottoman Empire.
- The international relations had not been good, for there is constant rivalry and conflicts. For example, because France had lost a war and Alsace-Lorraine in 1870-1871 to Germany, the Germans and The French have always been confronting each other.
- Germany had been developing its naval and military strength, and thought that they were stronger than other countries, and that they were ready to fight, so developed a warlike stance.
- Another cause of the World War One is the tangle of Alliances. The alliance system is so, that when two countries are in conflict, other countries may be drawn into the fight, and a local fight may turn into a catastrophic event, like a World War.
Course of the WW1.
First there was the assassination of the heir of the Austrian emperor, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, by a Serbian student called Princip, ordered by the Black Hand, a secret Serbian organization in Bosnia. As Austria-Hungary is in fact a German state (only when Germany was united-well, the 39 states were united, Austria-Hungary was too big for Germany to rule, so it is still a German state.), Germany gave it a “blank cheque”, or unlimited support as to whatever it decides to do. In response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary was “angry” and held Serbia responsible. It sent an ultimatum to Serbia, which Serbia tried to comply, but failed to do so in full. Austria-Hungary took it as an excuse to declare war on Serbia. As Russia is the “big brother” of Serbia, for they were allies, that they share the same race (the Slavs), and have the same religion: Orthodox Christian Church, it declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germany was allies with Austria-Hungary, hence it entered the war and declared war on France AND Russia, for it thought that as France and Russia were members of the Triple Entente, and France was sure to declare war on Germany, for its revenge on the Alsace-Lorraine matter.
Then Germany realized that she would be fighting a two-front war, with Russia on its Eastern front, and France on its Western front. It calculated that Russia would need six weeks to fully and effectively mobilize its army to the border, so it thought to eliminate France first, so its army force would not be divided. As France heavily garrisoned its border-defence, Germany decided to first invade Belgium, THEN invade France. However, Belgium took up a brave fight and delayed the Germans. Moreover, as Belgium is so near to Britain, Britain feels threatened by the Germans and entered the war on the side of the Allies.
Italy was supposed to enter the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary because of the Triple Alliance, but as it had signed a secret treaty with France, and the Allies had persuaded it to join them, it declared that Germany had been offensive and hence joined the war with the Allies.
Afterwards, USA joined the war in 1917, after Germany had declared its “unrestricted submarine warfare”, for its interests had been threatened. (One, the new policy of the Germans’ had threatened her commercial shipping. Two, USA had lent much money to Britain and France. If they had lost, they would not be able to return it) The following year, Germany surrendered.
