What Caused WW1

Sophia Morris 10JS/I1

What Caused WW1

A long time before 1914 the great powers had numerous arguments with each other, starting with the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, which had spread throughout most of Europe. The idea of political democracy, with the resulting idea that people of the same ethnic origin, language, and political ideals had the right to independent states (France and Serbia, as examples).

Several people who desired national independence were made subject to local force or to other nations. Examples were the German people, whom the Congress of Vienna left divided into numerous principalities and kingdoms; Italy, also left divided into many parts, some of which were under foreign control; and the Flemish- and French-speaking Belgians of the Austrian Netherlands, whom the congress placed under Dutch rule.

Belgium won its independence from the Netherlands in 1830, the unification of Italy was accomplished in 1861, and that of Germany in 1871. At the close of the century, however, the problem of nationalism was still unresolved in other areas of Europe, resulting in tensions both within the regions involved and between various European nations.

The spirit of nationalism was also manifest in economic conflict. The Industrial Revolution, which took place in Great Britain at the end of the 18th century, followed in France in the early 19th century, and then in Germany after 1870, caused an immense increase in the manufactures of each country and a consequent need for foreign markets. The principal field for the European policies of economic expansion was Africa, and on that continent colonial interests frequently clashed. Several times between 1898 and 1914 the economic rivalry in Africa between France and Great Britain, and between Germany on one side and France and Great Britain on the other, almost precipitated a European war.

As a result of such tensions, between 1871 and 1914 the nations of Europe adopted domestic measures and foreign policies that in turn steadily increased the danger of war. Convinced that their interests were threatened, they maintained large standing armies, which they constantly replenished. At the same time, they increased the size of their navies. The naval expansion was intensely competitive. Great Britain, influenced by the expansion of the German navy begun in 1900 and by the events of the Russo-Japanese War, developed its fleet under the direction of Admiral Sir John Fisher. The war between Russia and Japan had proved the efficacy of long-range naval guns, and the British accordingly developed the widely copied dreadnought battleship, notable for its heavy armament, also the fact that the dreadnought could destroy any other type of battleship weighed heavily on their minds. Developments in other areas of military technology and organisation led to the dominance of general staffs with precisely formulated plans for mobilising their armies and attacking, often in plans that once started could not be rethought.

Statesmen everywhere realised that the tremendous and ever-growing expenditures for armament would in time lead either to national bankruptcy or to war, and they made several efforts for world-wide disarmament, notably at the Hague Conferences of 1899 and 1907. International rivalry was, however, too far advanced to make any progress towards disarmament at these conferences.

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The European nations not only armed themselves for purposes of “self-defence”, but also, in order not to find themselves standing alone if war did break out, sought alliances with other powers. The result was a phenomenon that in itself greatly increased the chances for generalised war: the grouping of the great European powers into two hostile military alliances, the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy and the Triple Entente of Great Britain, France, and Russia. Shifts within these alliances added to the building sense of crisis. These alliances were said to support each other, if in need. Only, Britain refused to get involved, unless there was a definite attack on them or the part of France their navy protected. UNLESS GERMANY BROKE THEIR TREATY TO KEEP BELGIUM NEUTRAL, (this is what led to Britain joining the war).

With Europe divided into two hostile camps, any disturbance of the existing political or military situation in Europe, Africa, or elsewhere provoked an international incident. Between 1905 and 1914 several international crises and two local wars occurred, all of which threatened to bring about a general European War. The first crisis occurred over Morocco, where Germany intervened in 1905-1906 to support Moroccan independence against French encroachment. France threatened war against Germany, but the crisis was finally settled by an international conference at Algeciras, Spain, in 1906.

The argument between Austria-Hungary and Serbia led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which made things worse because this added to the tension between Serbia and Austria-Hungary after the crisis that took place in the Balkans in 1908, over the annexation by Austria-Hungary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because one form of Pan-Slavism was a Pan-Serbian or Greater Serbia movement in Serbia, which had as one of its objects the achievement by Serbia of the southern part of Bosnia, the Serbs threatened war against Austria. War was avoided only because Serbia could not fight without Russian support and Russia at the time was unprepared for war. Russia really wanted to help Serbia. This again made things worse because it gave Germany more to be bitter about. Due to the alliances Germany must have felt they were being surrounded even more. Russia, France, England, Serbia verses Germany and Austria-Hungary. This didn’t give Germany much of a chance, so Germany needed to do something to challenge the Triple Entente….

A third crisis, again in Morocco, occurred in 1911 when the German government sent a warship to Agadir in protest against French efforts to secure supremacy in Morocco. After threats of war on both sides, the matter was settled by a colonial compromise between France and Germany in November 1911. Taking advantage of the preoccupation of the Great Powers with the Moroccan question, Italy declared war on Turkey in 1911, hoping to annex the Tripoli region of northern Africa. Because Germany's policy of Drang nach Osten (“drive towards the East”) obliged it to cultivate friendship with Turkey, the Italian attack had the effect of weakening the Triple Alliance and encouraging its enemies. The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 resulted in an increased desire on the part of Serbia to obtain the parts of Austria-Hungary inhabited by Slavic peoples, strengthened Austro-Hungarian suspicion of Serbia, and left Bulgaria and Turkey, both defeated in the wars, with a desire for revenge. Germany, disappointed because Turkey had been deprived of its European territory by the Balkan Wars, increased the size of its army. France responded by increasing peacetime military service from two to three years. Following the example of these nations, all the others of Europe in 1913 and 1914 spent huge sums for military preparedness.

In conclusion, WW1 wasn’t caused by just one event, as the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand wouldn’t have sparked off the war, if there weren’t already tensions between Serbia and the Habsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary. Germany would never have a part in the naval race if Britain weren’t so supreme in its naval forces. Germany would never have been forced to attack France if it wasn’t surrounded on both sides with the Triple Entente. Everyone wanted to gain entrance to the rich trade in the Mediterranean. If Germany hadn’t been surrounded when they decided to back Moroccan independence, Germany wouldn’t have felt the need for an alliance, but Britain, Russia, and France decided to gang on Germany, like a bully. So Germany went away, came back, stood up, and took revenge. Like the victim, for the first time, standing up to the bullies. Germany needed to feel in charge, so it looked for an excuse to threaten the Triple Entente.

Germany soon realised that once the Triple Ententes armies were at their peaks, Germany and Austria-Hungary would have no chance, so Germany needed a plan, a good plan. In brief, this plan was to attack the most of the Triple Entente when they weren’t ready; this was a plan devised by Count Von Schleiffen many years before. However, this plan included fighting France, through Belgium, which contradicted the Treaty of London that Germany signed in 1839. Germany was so naïve, that they didn’t realise that they were right next to Britain, and was going against something that Britain agreed on, keeping Belgium neutral over all disputes in Europe. Unfortunately, this is the main point where Germany, went wrong. They also thought Belgium wouldn’t fight back, but to their surprise they did, and this is what slowed Germany down, and was left with no chance in beating the Great Triple Entente.

The assassination in Sarajevo, was by the Black Hand group, but this tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was nearly at its peak, and as Serbia knew the Group responsible for the attack was nothing to do with them, they laughed at Austria, and thought this gave Austria no reason to start a war. But Austria stood proud and to Serbia’s surprise declared war on them on 28th July 1914, this was due to the determination of the war party in Austria-Hungary. This was the first step to war, but definitely wouldn’t be the last.

Without consulting the rest of the Entente, Russia mobilised their army on the 30th July. And Germany supported it’s allie and declared war on Russia on the 1st August, then 2 days later went to war with France. On the 3rd August the Germans launched the stupid Schlieffen Plan and in the month of August 1914 all the members of the alliance systems declared war on each other.

Events before 1914 had pushed the Great Powers to war: events after Sarajevo sparked off the war.