The Causes of WWI

[Admiral "Bull" Halsey]

The causes of World War One first began when the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand was assassinated along with his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg. This triggered many attentions in all of Europe when Austria-Hungary first declared war. It had a major development in Europe through the late 19th to early 20th centuries which developed through establishing cultures and interests amongst other nations, which also establishing small countries under one powerful rule, the alliance system to which countries in Europe would make and aligned with one another in order to protect their fellow allies against foreign invasion, the development new weapons and new war machines for wars, and lastly the increasing armies and militaries in order for countries to have a stronger military.

Nationalism played a major part during the war, it became an aggression, anxiety or being inferior amongst weaker and less well-organized people. Nationalism is use to describe the love and sympathy of one’s country. It is use to describe by people who shares the same culture, languages, backgrounds, religion, pride, self-rule and the desire for independence. Nationalism help co-operation between nations for common goals as well as having development between cultures and exchange of ideal protections. For instance, scholars and musicians would travel from many countries in Europe to study in places such as Austria-Hungary and Germany in exchange for new ideas. But all that failed due to deeply-rooted conflicts with one another. The French Nationalism felt the bitterness over the disputed of land known as the Alsace-Lorraine which belonged to France at one point until it was taken over by Germany after the Franco-Prussian war. Many of the inhabitants there were consists of French speaking people. Germany had no sympathy for the teachings in French schools that it was then strictly prohibited for any use French language under any circumstances. This indicates the flaming hatred towards French nationalist has against the German occupation. Germany on the other hand, felt that the land of Alsace-Lorraine means a lot more to them as it represents the first conquest of Germany’s unification that they wouldn’t want to give up the land so willingly. Germany wanted to recover territory that was taken over ages ago from the time when it was Holy Roman Empire against Louis XIV. Not only that, but Alsace-Lorraine had a rich deposits of iron and coal that it had a great economic values which benefit Germany’s industrial developments. German Nationalism dreamed dominating Mittel-Europa and incorporating all the German people that consists of the continent of people such as Austrians, Flemings, Luxemburgs, Dutch, Swiss, and Danes to unite them under Germany’s rule. Their goals in mind are to awaken and foster the sense of racial and cultural kinship all the German people to further the interests of Germans to the whole world. This marks the beginning of World War One between the French and the Germans over the dispute over the lands and people.

Another reason was that Europe conquered smaller countries around the world as new lands or countries make them subject under their rule. This was known as imperialism. When France and Britain had many colonies; Britain extended their empires overseas and acquired many countries such as Canada, Australia, India, and some parts of Africa by 1900 and France had mostly control parts of Africa and Vietnam. And because of this, Germany too decided that they needed colonies as well if they were to ever extend their empires and to compete with Britain and France economically as well as needing new market where they could gather raw materials and cheap labours. But realizing that there aren’t enough places left to take control of seeing as Britain and France most parts of the world, they grew jealous of Britain and France that Germany entered into Africa to acquire small colonies there. This increases the rivalries between Britain, France, and Germany for the dispute of land that they’ve conquered in Africa and thus leading to conflicts.

When two or more countries have an agreement made to give other supports if necessary, those countries become allies of one another. This was known as the alliance system. This was significant because if one country from their alliance declared war first, their allies have to go to war as well to support them. When the assassination of Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip, it was heard around the world, Austria-Hungary demanded Serbia’s action by instantly declared war. These alliances would go to war with each other because once a country first declared war; the allied have to support them. When a nation feels threatened, they have no choice but to go to war to fend off for themselves along with their allies’ supporting by their side. This marks the beginning of WWI. The allies in WWI also known as the Triple Entente consist of Britain, France, and Russia, whereas the Triple Alliance consists of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Germany and Austria-Hungary made an alliance with Italy in 1882 to prevent taking sides with Russia. But all that changed when Italy left to join forces with the Entente in exchange for lands in 1915. The alliance was made between Britain, France, and Russia on 1907 in order to fend off against Germany from invasion. Russia later left the Triple Entente due to the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War which later became the Soviet Union on November, 1917. This was the reason why WWI came in place due to the alliance system when a country first declares war; its allies have to support them.

New weapons, machines, and industries helped developed social and economic changes in society; this was known as industrialization which firstly began in Britain. This helped countries such as Britain and France to explore and open up new global trades and slave-trades as well as development of large groups of labourers, mass consumer markets of high demand for products, and wealth distributed more amongst the middle class. During the industrial revolution, machine guns and war machines became more efficient as ever before and would be used for wars. War machines such as tanks, planes, and battleship were never been used in the past war before until the 19th century. The industrial revolution helped enabled more efficient killing as machines are being produced at a much faster rate. For instance, a machine gun can shot 15 bullets per minute and thus killing thousands of people per minute. The tanks officially debuted in the Battle of the Somme which was used by the British Armies to help the war. They were originally designed as a special weapon to help solve tactical situations: to support units to assists the crossing of “No Man’s Land”. Horse cavalry were being replaced by these tanks because cavalry units could easily get slaughtered in battle against machine guns with no protections, this was one advantage tanks has over horse cavalry to support units defensively. This attracted whole lot of attention to the world and since then, wars have been much more violent and brutal as ever as billions of people were killed thanks to new weapons such as the machine guns. These are the reasons as to why industrialization helped the war; to improve killing at a faster rate in order to win the war.

People's desire and beliefs promoted to national interests which inspire many people to join the militaries and armies. Which would increase rapidly in order to support their countries. This was known as Militarism. This was significant because both France and Germany had more than increased their armies from 1870 to 1914 as well as there was fierce competition between Britain and Germany for who will be the dominant of the seas. This would lead to the Anglo-German naval race. When the British Army firstly introduced the very first battleship known as the Dreadnaught in 1906, Germany was inspired by this new idea that they’ve followed the Britain’s path by making their own battleship in order to compete with Britain in seas. Following by 1909, Germany built their own very first battleship known as the Helgoland class. In 1914, the British and Germans would compete with each other to construct numbers of battleships, submarines, and other naval vessels and weaponry used in the seas. The British and Germans needed large navies in order to protect their colonies and conquer new territories. After the assassination of Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand occurred, both sides would increase the security of their nation by mobilize their military, because they felt threatened, they did not trust other nations, which would lead to conflicts thus leading to war.

In conclusion, the causes of World War One came in place due to aggression, anxiety or being inferior amongst weaker and less well-organized people just as how French were being mistreated by the Germans when Germany took control of Alsace-Lorraine. Germany wanted to expand their empires but was unable to because Britain and France have conquered most of the world, which leads to open rivalries and conflicts. The alliance system of how Europe afflict with one another in order to protect themselves against wars and how one country could declare war if they say so and their allies have to join, just as how Austria-Hungary immediately declared war after the assassination of Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand. Thanks to industrialization, machinery of war was more efficient than ever as new weapons were being produced as machines are being produced at a much faster rate. And the increasing numbers armies and militaries in order to have a stronger military between mainly Britain and Germany over for who will be the dominant of the seas. So as you can see, these are the reasons as to why World War One came to place.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Namie Amuro

[lolDeath]

http://www.wikipedia.org/

[Blacken]

Do they really just want you to rephrase the textbook...?

[Admiral "Bull" Halsey]

Let's just say this is something that I felt like doing during my spare time. ;)

[Defeatist Elitist]

I can copy paste to. :P

[Beigeen]

Uhhh, what's the fucking point son? (of just posting that). I don't come here for cheap history classes. No one will ever bother to read that text wall.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Mad Fredin

[Thingy Person]

The real reason is that France lost its war against Pru-something (No idea what it's called in English) and lost a slab of land that they were itching to find an excuse for to take back for the coming centuries, hence they declared war when this thing you decribed transpired. If France hadn't began bitching, a slew of other countries wouldn't have and it wouldn't've been a world war.

[Le Communard]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guns_of_August

[Le Communard]

The real reason is that France lost its war against Pru-something (No idea what it's called in English) and lost a slab of land that they were itching to find an excuse for to take back for the coming centuries, hence they declared war when this thing you decribed transpired. If France hadn't began bitching, a slew of other countries wouldn't have and it wouldn't've been a world war.

The Franco-Prussian War in the 1870's is what your thihnking of. The land was the provences of Alcase and Lorraine. Bismark was actully against it--he knew the French would never forgive the offence.

[Beigeen]

The Franco-Prussian War in the 1870's is what your thihnking of. The land was the provences of Alcase and Lorraine. Bismark was actully against it--he knew the French would never forgive the offence.

Bismarck himself edited the Ems dispatch to make it more insulting to the French. He wanted that war. Bismarck never trusted nor liked french; he constantly used his realpolitik to literally dominate and even humiliate the French in what was a competition for territory.

I suggest you research about the Hohenzollern crisis and the Ems Dispatch if you desire to know more on the subject.

[Le Communard]

Bismarck himself edited the Ems dispatch to make it more insulting to the French. He wanted that war. Bismarck never trusted nor liked french; he constantly used his realpolitik to literally dominate and even humiliate the French in what was a competition for territory.

I suggest you research about the Hohenzollern crisis and the Ems Dispatch if you desire to know more on the subject.

I never said he liked the French, merely that he oppsed the seizure of Alsace and Lorranie. I figured that would just be a given.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Admrial Daala

[Admiral "Bull" Halsey]

Uhhh, what's the fucking point son? (of just posting that). I don't come here for cheap history classes. No one will ever bother to read that text wall.

And what is the point of your post? My topic isn't spammy as oppose to what you've just posted. No one ask for your opinion, if you don't want to view this page then just don't comment and leave. So obvious. <_<

[Doom103]

No point to this, honestly.

It has a few errors.

[California Mountain Snake]

And what is the point of your post? My topic isn't spammy as oppose to what you've just posted. No one ask for your opinion, if you don't want to view this page then just don't comment and leave. So obvious. <_<

Commenting on the obvious worthlessness of something is still a valid view to to express in discussion, which is what this board as a discussion forum is attempting to promote.

[Beigeen]

I wouldn't mind if this went deeper but you did a lousy job son.

[Deity]

When this ww started, Jesus started reigning upstairs. ^^

[Beigeen]

When this ww started, Jesus started reigning upstairs. ^^

Say what?

[Doom103]

How are we supposed to discuss this?

[Deity]

Say what?

Oh its true, if you read the bible and have good knowledge...you will know of that and more, stuff I do not wish to share with you all because its too "strong" for people who do not know anything about the bible, religion, etc.

But yeah, this war marked the day Jesus and his angels sent Satan and his angels down to earth. If you look back, things for earth had gotten really nasty afterwards.

[Fox]

Oh its true, if you read the bible and have good knowledge...you will know of that and more, stuff I do not wish to share with you all because its too "strong" for people who do not know anything about the bible, religion, etc.

But yeah, this war marked the day Jesus and his angels sent Satan and his angels down to earth. If you look back, things for earth had gotten really nasty afterwards.

I-- what-- what?

[Deity]

Do you guys want me to explain it or are you all simply like: "What?"

[Fox]

Do you guys want me to explain it or are you all simply like: "What?"

Yes. Yes, you are going to have to explain it.

[lolDeath]

"God did it"

I explained it for him.

[Beigeen]

"God did it"

I explained it for him.

That god sure is a sadistic SOB if you ask me! awesome.jpg

[Thingy Person]

I-- what-- what?

I'm not surprised. This is a fundamentalist.