Alliances In The Early Twentieth Century

In the early 20th century, rivalries between European leaders and their countries created the conditions for war. These conditions were enhanced by militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. The Great Powers of Europe all used these causes to varying degrees. By 1907, most of the European nations had formed alliances to protect themselves from foreign aggression. Countries desires to maintain their culture and extend their borders frequently led to conflict. From 1914 to 1918, a war broke out that utilized the advancements in technology and weaponry that resulted in horrific casualties. The strategy of fighting was reduced to trench warfare. A system of trenches were dug along much of the Western and Eastern fronts which slowed down territorial gains. The use of tanks, planes, submarines, machine guns, and chemical weapons were introduced for the first time and they all contributed to the devastating results of the first total war. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary triggered the most horrific war known to man. A drastic increase in military spending, entangling agreements, border expansion, and
excessive patriotism were the four main causes for World War I. Militarism was one of the main causes for WWI. Militarism is the belief that a country should maintain a strong military in case of an outbreak of war. The major increase in military spending was one of the major contributing factors. For example, in the chart “Per Capita Expenditures of the Great Powers on Armaments” states that in 1870, France spent $2.92 per capita on military spending. By 1914, (the start of WWI), they were spending $7.07. Another example is how Germany spent $1.28 in 1870 and were spending $8.19 by 1914. A radical increase in military spending led to WWI because European countries had new and improved weapons that they wanted to use.

The alliance system was another contributing factor for the outbreak of WWI.
Alliances are established when two countries come together for mutual benefit. England and France had formed an alliance, the Triple Entente, and they were against Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary; which was called the Triple Alliance. As the excerpt from The Century of Total War by Raymond Aron states, these two alliances “...grew heavy with multiple incidents, which spread East [with the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand], where Russia and Austria were advancing contradictory claims…”. With the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Serbia and Austria-Hungary were forced to go into war. Alliances were a major contributing factor to the brink of WWI because of the two rival alliances that experienced several incidents leading up to the
war.

Another one of the four main causes for WWI was Imperialism. Imperialism is a policy in which stronger nations overtake weaker ones for political, social, or economic gain. The leader of the German delegation to the Versailles Peace Conference, Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, claimed that Germany was not the only country that was at fault for the cause of the war. In a speech given by Count Brockdorff-Rantzau given to the Versailles Peace Conference, Brockdorff-Rantzau states “In the last fifty years, the imperialism of all European states has chronologically poisoned international relations. Policies of retaliation, policies of expansion, and disregard for the right of peoples to determine their own destiny, have contributed to the European malady which came to a crisis in the World War”. Brockdorff-Rantzau is saying that the imperialism of all European states is what caused WWI due to countries refusing to agree to relations.

Nationalism was the last major cause of WWI. Nationalism is one’s strong pride and devotion to their country. The head of Serbian military intelligence, Colonel Dragulin Dimtrevic, declared that Nationalism was the cause of WWI. In Document 4, he said “The war between Serbia and Austria… is inevitable. If Serbia wants to live in honor, she can only do this by war… This war derives from the duty of our race which will not permit itself to be assimilated”. Dimtrevic is stating that war is inevitable but he uses Nationalism to justify it. He says that war is okay as long as it’s to protect your country and uphold traditions.

In conclusion, militarism, the alliance system, imperialism, and nationalism were the four major causes for the outbreak of WWI. Militarism was one of the four primary causes of WWI due to the major increase in military spending in Europe. Countries that came together for mutual benefit caused rivalries which caused the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, which eventually led up to the brink of the war. Greater countries taking over weaker ones cause uprising within the European countries because of countries leaders refusing to accept certain agreements. Finally, one’s patriotic feelings towards their country triggered the brink of the war because war was justified by Colonel Dragulin Dimtrevic when he stated war was inevitable but it’s okay as long as you’re fighting for your country. The Great War impacted Europe and the rest of the war because it provoked World War II, The Holocaust, the creation of the atomic bomb, and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Events such as The Cold War and The Great Depression can even be linked to WWI. The evidence above proves that a strong military, unions formed for mutual benefits, strong countries overpowerment of weaker countries and and excessive patriotism were the four main factors that contributed to the outbreak of the first world war.