Essay Sample about Europe and World War I

Learning about World War I, one can not help but question the inevitability of the war in itself. It is said that all of the actions taken in Europe before any conflict even started was to increase tension mainly economically and politically. In the years leading up to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Bosnia, the fierce economic and political competition between European countries was truly unrivaled compared to any other time in Europe's history. The Archduke’s assassination granted European countries a reason to take out their pent-up anger on each other, resulting in millions of deaths and the destruction of Europe as a whole. World War I represents a mere growing pain of western civilization because the actions taken during the war by European countries who were competing for political and economic dominance eventually led to the prosperous state of Europe today. 

The competition between countries in western Europe began to increase before the Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. For example, there was a constant fight for land. Land not only increases the profitability of a country but also allows certain governmental bodies to amass more political power. In the year 1871, during the Franco-Prussian War, the German state led the Prussian army to victory over France and then annexed the French territory, Alsace Lorraine. Alsace Lorriane appealed to Germany because of its vast industrialization possibilities, rich iron mines, steel deposits, and fertile soil. Subsequently, in the forty years after this German conquer, tensions between France and Germany continued to increase until combat was sparked after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. Concurrently, a secret agreement made by Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy in 1882 was crucial in the eventual start of the war. The Ottoman empire eventually joined this political agreement. A similar trend is observed when the Triple Entente was formed in 1907 which was the rival to the Triple Alliance. The Triple Entente was another defensive agreement made between England, France, and Russia, with many other countries joining as the war progressed. A time that showed the strength of the Triple Alliance, in particular, occurred when Germany planned to invade France through Belgium. Belgium was deemed a neutral country by the British empire. When Germany presented Belgium with an ultimatum called the Schlieffen Plan to invade Belgium and avoid fighting a war on two fronts with France, Belgium resisted. Although the Belgians put up a good fight, Germany eventually defeated them to access French territory. England joined the French in the war against Germany wanting to punish Germany for not acknowledging the neutrality of Belgium. This is a clear example of the strength of the alliance system created by England and France. The competition for political power during this time in history was at its highest.

There was also fierce Economic competition between European countries throughout the time before and during World War I. The main economic rivalry was between the Ottoman Empire and the British empire. The German idea of a railroad from Berlin to Baghdad was appealing to the Ottomans, as it allowed them to strengthen their weak army while allowing Germany safe access to British colonies This railroad was the reason why the Ottoman Empire joined the Triple Alliance. This railroad also granted Germany the opportunity to access oil. The Germans knew that oil is a major moneymaker because it is consistently needed for machines and the growth of industrialization. The value of oil is still increasing today. This railroad would not only be used to transport oil from the Middle East to Germany, but this railroad made it much easier for Germany to send their troops to battlegrounds. Additionally, 90% of the German federal budget was put into the army as a result of the belief that larger armies could end conflict and conquer land faster in a more effective manner. Germany was essentially investing in itself to better the German army. This theory is proven incorrect given the subpar economic standing of Germany at the end of the war.

The constant competition for political and economic power was seen across Europe, but not for a very long time. Though the destruction, tense nature, and fear that was experienced all around Europe, this tough time was not permanent. Many historians believe that this competition caused a “failure of western civilization”, but it did not. Comparing world war era Europe to today, one would find prosperous countries that are currently experiencing success both economically and politically, which coincidentally was a goal of the conflict of World War I. “A failure” symbolizes a permanent shortcoming or an unrecoverable mistake. Today, Europe has amassed fifty-five percent of the global wealth while also inhabiting fifteen percent of the world’s adult population. That is a testament to how Europe was able to “bounce back” after World War I.

In conclusion, Europe's ability to recover from the catastrophic tension created by the rivalry for political and economic dominance during World War I is a reason why the war was a “growing pain”. Life in Europe during World War I was dominated by toxic environments and societies whose only goal was to “dominate Europe '' economically and politically. But today, if one examines the society of Europe, one finds a prosperous continent and in most parts, a refined culture. One cannot say that World War I was a European failure given life there today. Indeed, Europe was once a toxic place, specifically during World War I, but Europe has refined its actions over the past 100 years for the better.