3. Write a short note on various causes of two World Wars. Do you think any of these features are prevalent even today in countries around the world? How?
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Answer:
a)The first World War started in the year 1914 and ended in the year 1918.
Any three causes of the First World War were:
i) Militant Nationalism: In the latter half of the 19th century, militant nationalism emerged in Europe. It meant outright wars by European countries to achieve their goals. Militant nationalism was caused by aggressive nationalism, economic competition and international tension.
Aggressive nationalism meant love for one's own country and hatred of other countries. Each nation thought about its own national interests and did not care for the interests of the other nations. For example, France wanted to get back its provinces of Alsace-Lorraine from Germany.
Fierce economic competition among the nations also led to the rise of militant nationalism. By the end of the 19th century, England and France had built up a huge colonial empire in Asia and Africa. Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan also wanted to increase their sphere of influence and create their colonies in Asia and Africa. These colonies were essential for their progress as they could provide raw materials for their industries and markets for their finished products. Besides acquiring colonies would add to the power and prestige of these countries. Thus, aggressive nationalism and fierce economic competition filled the atmosphere with fear, apprehension, mutual hatred and international tension.
ii) Race for Armaments: The mad race for armaments which began soon after the Franco-Prussian War was one of the reasons which led to the First World War. Every major power began stockpiling armaments in the name of self-defence and preservation of peace. As a result, if one country increased its armaments other countries were compelled to do the same. It filled the atmosphere with fear, apprehension and mutual hatred leading to the First World War.
iii) Sarajevo Crisis (Immediate Cause) : Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia on June 28, 1914. Austria served an ultimatum on Serbia on July 23 making eleven demands. Serbia accepted most of the demands except those that would have led to the loss of her sovereignty. Austria declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914 and the First World War began.
b) The main terms of the Treaty of Versailles were:
i) The treaty declared Germany guilty of aggression.
ii) The area of the Rhine valley was to be demilitarised and the German territory west of Rhine was to be occupied by the Allied Troops for 15 years.
iii) Germany ceded parts of her war territory to Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia and France.
c) The objectives of the League of Nations were:
i) All the States of the world were prohibited from entering into any secret treaties and alliances.
ii) All States were to respect each others independence.
iii) The member States were not suppose to maintain huge armies, warships and destructive armaments.
iv) The League of Nations was supposed to promote cultural, social and economic co-operation among the member-States.
The organisation formed in 1945 was the United Nations Organisation after the Second World War. It has similar objectives to those of the League of Nations.
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