The Main Causes Of World War 1 Essay Example

The complexity of World War I grew from one event that sparked various conflicts. As the Great War unraveled from this event, there were specific notions that grew into wars. Consequently, this tension led to international conflict circulating around greed and power.  The tension of war was produced from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This tension evolved and continued to grow from nationalism, alliances, and militarism. Nationalism was the clear motive of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As great tension spread with this protest, power became a threat to every nation. The greed for power, increased by nationalism, resulted in specific alliances to support this power demand. With Europe's major powers split into two sides and tension from the assassination, the desire for power was revealed. Accordingly, these relations led to various possibilities to trigger a new conflict for war. This is shown by the race between the various nation's military advancements. The belief of militarism combined with mobilization was a powerful indicator that worried other nations. The three main causes of World War I, all evolved from the power that grew from the event that started it all, the assassination of the archduke.

Nationalism was one of the most influential causes of the war because it was the main reason for Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assasination. Nationalism was a political ideology that all nations had and tried to achieve. Accordingly, nations who strived to obtain their own interests, gained the hunger for power and superiority. According to David M. Smith, author of Causes of the First World War, “The role that nationalism played in the growing international tensions at the turn of the century is best demonstrated in the Balkans,”. The “demonstration” was the assasination that occurred in the Balkan city of Sarajevo. This need for superiority described Serbia and Austria-Hungary’s competition for dominance which created the “tension”. When the archduke decided to visit Bosnia, Serbian nationalists viewed him as a foreign oppressor. Etty John, the author of Serbian Nationalism and the Great War, states that “Slav nationalism troubled Austria-Hungary and the need for victory over Serbia superseded other concerns.” The assasination triggered the “troubled” feeling Austria had and they used the event as an opportunity to crush Serbia. An ultimatum was offered, stating that, “the Royal Serbian Government has done nothing to repress these movements,”(Document 3). Austria-Hungary stated that Serbia is acting unstable by not repressing the “movements” of the assasination. When Serbia didn’t fulfill the demands that followed after that statement, a war broke out. The power nationalism had over that south slav nationalist is evidence that he committed assasination because of Serbia’s nationalism.  Nationalism was the driving force that provoked Gavrilo Princip, the assassin, to protest. With Serbia fighting for nationalism, they produced a dead body to start a war. Nationalism starting the war between Serbia and Austria-Hungary started the problem, but they weren’t the only two nations disputing that sparked the war.

Alliances were one of the most significant reasons for the war that created the multiple possibilities for a dispute between nations. There were multiple alliances that contributed to the start of this war. A small conflict between two nations could lead to a worldwide problem. Nathan Sacks, the author of World War I Causes, proves that “the major powers’ diplomatic efforts created a system that required nations to go to war to defend or support their allies.” With the multiple alliances forming during this period, there was an easy chance for nations to declare war on each other. The obligation to “defend or support” another nation’s military or economy led to the disputes of what nation started which war. Going to war was costly and when severe damage was done, there had to be a scapegoat to put blame on. When the Allies won the war against Germany, the Treaty of Versailles enforced that “Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage,”(Document 4). When Germany signed the treaty it not only held the nation accountable for the “loss and damage”, but also placed blame on “her allies”. Tension spread when Germany signed the treaty and it put pressure on its allies. The alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary put Austria-Hungary at a disadvantage resulting in breaking up the Habsburg empire.  Although alliances were a good defense plan, the results ended with broken empires and more reasons for war. Accordingly, alliances were formed as a defense plan, so a main focus for nations was their military.

Militarism was a powerful source of the war that caused nations to compete for power through military advancements. When one nation mobilizes their military, others fear the increase of power. As other nations try to catch up to compete for the highest amount of power, the mobilization of militarism will “engender suspicion and fear in rival states,” states the author of Causes of the First World War, David M. Smith. Going to war while sustaining a strong military was the key to winning. The “fear in rival states” would fuel other nations to increase their military until war was declared. While mobilizing David M. Smith states that “If a country was worried that a rival state's army was growing faster than its own, the temptation was to attack the rival preemptively before the differential was too great.” Throughout this period, strategies like attacking a rival nation “before the differential was too great” was a smart way to gain power. Continuously as each nation grew the other nations weren’t far behind on mobilizing their military. The need for power was fueled by the desire of a strong military and resulted in the ongoing mobilization of militarism. Gordon A. Craig combined the yearly investments towards armaments and got results that in the “1870’s, Germany spent $1.28 on armaments, but in 1914, it increased to $8.19,”(Document 1). Correspondingly, every nation increased the investment towards their military when the war sparked. The need for militarism was enough to scare nations into building and attacking other nations. Therefore all “European countries in greater or lesser degree were responsible [for the outbreak of World War I],” (Document 6) because of the increased emotion of fear militarism increased.

In conclusion the immediate cause of the Great War was the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Nationalism fueled the assassin and sparked the hunger nations had for power and the fear it could spread. The smallest conflict sparked fear in nations that led to war. Nationalism causing the assasination showed the first international conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. The relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary sparked the influence that alliances had over nations. Alliances were formed as a defence mechanism, but it also created problems within their allies. The continuous support from the allies resulted in ultimatums and treaties. Following, militarism increased as it was the most significant way to obtain great power. The determination of dominance sparked new innovations and militarism mobilization. Economic interest toward nations' military skyrocketed and resulted in a scare tactic to pressure other nations into war. Nationalism, Alliances, and militarism all built off of the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.