causes for first world war
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The direct cause of WWI was the
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. However historians feel that a number of factors contributed to the rivalry between the Great powers that allowed war on such a wide-scale to break out.
A major historical debate still rages about who has the ultimate responsibility for the outbreak of war. Germany and Austria are usually regarded as the main culprits. However unlike World War Two there is no one easily identifiable bad guy!
Below are some of the main long-term causes that are identified by historians:-
The System of Alliances / rivalry between the powers
Militarism
Nationalism
Crises before 1914
The Eastern Question / The Balkans
Domestic political factors
The System of Alliances
Before 1914 Europe's main powers were divided into two armed camps by a series of alliances. These were
The Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy (1882)
The Triple Entente of Britain, Russia and France (1907)
Although these alliances were defensive in nature, they meant that any conflict between one country from each alliance was bound to involve the other countries. The fact that Germany faced a war on two fronts greatly influenced her actions during the July Crisis.
By 1914 Italy was only a nominal member of the Triple Alliance . She had concluded a secret treaty with France by which she promised to stay neutral if Germany attacked France and when war broke out she stayed out. This meant that Germany had only one dependable ally, Austria-Hungary.
The main rivalries between the powers were:
Germany and France over Alsace. This division made an alliance between both countries impossible.
Russia and Austria over the Balkans.
Britain and Germany over their navies and economic power.
“The alliances created an excessively rigid diplomatic framework, within which relatively small detonators could produce huge explosions” (A.J.P. Taylor)
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Militarism
In all of the Great powers, military spending increased greatly in the years prior to the war. All except Britain had conscription. Over 85% of men of military age in France and 50% in Germany had served in the army or navy. France had the highest proportion of its population in the army.
Percentage Increase in
Military Spending 1890-1913 Size of Peacetime Army 1914
Britain 117 430,000
France 92 970,000
Russia 19 1,500,000
Germany 158 760,000
Austria Hungary 160 480,000
The armies of both France and Germany had more than doubled between 1870 and 1914. The rivalry between the powers led to a building up of weapons and an increase in distrust.
Colonial rivalry had led to a naval arms race between Britain and Germany. This had seriously worsened relations between both countries. The British-German dispute also led to greater naval co-operation between Britain and France.
In 1880 Germany had 88.000 tonnes of military shipping, Britain 650,000; by 1910 the figures were 964,000 and 2,174,000 respectively.
The launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 made matters worse. This ship was fast, heavily armoured with powerful guns and it made all previous battleships obsolete.
hope it is useful to you!!!!
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. However historians feel that a number of factors contributed to the rivalry between the Great powers that allowed war on such a wide-scale to break out.
A major historical debate still rages about who has the ultimate responsibility for the outbreak of war. Germany and Austria are usually regarded as the main culprits. However unlike World War Two there is no one easily identifiable bad guy!
Below are some of the main long-term causes that are identified by historians:-
The System of Alliances / rivalry between the powers
Militarism
Nationalism
Crises before 1914
The Eastern Question / The Balkans
Domestic political factors
The System of Alliances
Before 1914 Europe's main powers were divided into two armed camps by a series of alliances. These were
The Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy (1882)
The Triple Entente of Britain, Russia and France (1907)
Although these alliances were defensive in nature, they meant that any conflict between one country from each alliance was bound to involve the other countries. The fact that Germany faced a war on two fronts greatly influenced her actions during the July Crisis.
By 1914 Italy was only a nominal member of the Triple Alliance . She had concluded a secret treaty with France by which she promised to stay neutral if Germany attacked France and when war broke out she stayed out. This meant that Germany had only one dependable ally, Austria-Hungary.
The main rivalries between the powers were:
Germany and France over Alsace. This division made an alliance between both countries impossible.
Russia and Austria over the Balkans.
Britain and Germany over their navies and economic power.
“The alliances created an excessively rigid diplomatic framework, within which relatively small detonators could produce huge explosions” (A.J.P. Taylor)
back
Militarism
In all of the Great powers, military spending increased greatly in the years prior to the war. All except Britain had conscription. Over 85% of men of military age in France and 50% in Germany had served in the army or navy. France had the highest proportion of its population in the army.
Percentage Increase in
Military Spending 1890-1913 Size of Peacetime Army 1914
Britain 117 430,000
France 92 970,000
Russia 19 1,500,000
Germany 158 760,000
Austria Hungary 160 480,000
The armies of both France and Germany had more than doubled between 1870 and 1914. The rivalry between the powers led to a building up of weapons and an increase in distrust.
Colonial rivalry had led to a naval arms race between Britain and Germany. This had seriously worsened relations between both countries. The British-German dispute also led to greater naval co-operation between Britain and France.
In 1880 Germany had 88.000 tonnes of military shipping, Britain 650,000; by 1910 the figures were 964,000 and 2,174,000 respectively.
The launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 made matters worse. This ship was fast, heavily armoured with powerful guns and it made all previous battleships obsolete.
hope it is useful to you!!!!
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the direct cause of first world was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
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