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Causes of the First World War

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Causes of the First World War
World War I Essay

When a nation’s hunger for power and control become too great, the nation may be pushed to do things that may have harsh consequences. This was the case in the early 1900’s when the world engaged in its first major global military conflict. There were a number of causes of the First World War; due to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany accepted full responsibility for the war. Although the Germans had a large contribution in starting the war, they should not be fully held accountable for starting the war. The world was a place where only the strongest nations could thrive and expand. The major powers of Europe were all doing whatever it took to gain power, wealth, and control different areas of land; this caused tension among the nations of the world. The stage was set for an armed military conflict to erupt at any given moment in time, all this tense situation needed was a spark to ignite the flame; and the world would be at war. Germany should not be blamed for starting World War I because the world had already set itself up for a war, Germany just instigated it. The major powers set the tense situation in the world through: the numerous alliance systems and the competition for colonies; the different political plans various nations tried to implement, along with the race to see who could produce the largest navy; and the nationalistic beliefs of every nation, coupled with the militaristic views of the major powers.

Germany should not accept full responsibility because the nations of the world created a hostile environment throughout the continent. After the Franco-Prussian War, a system of secret alliances had developed in Europe. These alliances split the continent into two tense sides that were ready to go to war at any moment. A lot of the different major powers were involved in mutual defense agreements, which linked nations to one another in the event that one of them was attacked. When the war did happen, it involved

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