Causes of World War I
WWI Research Paper
“Pung!” a bullet was shot on a field of peaceful grassland. Immediately, a hailstorm of bullets followed, thousands of soldiers burst out for not only the pain from the bullets but also the enormous anger towards their opponent. All of a sudden, the battlefield was quiet again; but the peaceful grassland no longer existed, and huge piles of dead bodies were remained… What actually happened to break out this violent, nonsensical war? The World War I was caused by the initial outbreaks between nations due to nationalistic factors, which served as the basis of militarism in Europe and the imperialistic movements throughout the world.
During the years of 1890’s and 1900’s, the nationalistic movements such as Black Hands and Assassination of Archduke Franz were carried out as an opposing power towards their imperial governments, along with movements that were to fulfill the nations’ self-interest such as French Isolation and Three Emperors League had led to the outbreak of the wars in Europe. The Black Hand, a secret society whom goal was to create a greater Serbia and by joining Serbia with a free Bosnia, carried out violent terroristic movements against Austria-Hungary such as the assassination of Archduke Franz, the murder of the heir of Austria-Hungary. (Beck, 844) This assassination had highly displeased Austria-Hungary, and they decided to use this murder as an excuse to send an ultimatum to Serbia; but with Serbia’s rejection, Austria-Hungary mobilized its army and declared war on Serbia, which also led to the mobilization of Russian army and declarations of war between Austria and Russia, along with the alliance systems were formed in this area. (Coetzee, 23-25) Meanwhile, a German administrator named Otto von Bismarck carried out the French Isolation, which its initial goal was to prevent France from alliancing with other nations, but its actual purpose was to weaken France’s power so that the Germans could be protected. (Beck, 842) In
“Pung!” a bullet was shot on a field of peaceful grassland. Immediately, a hailstorm of bullets followed, thousands of soldiers burst out for not only the pain from the bullets but also the enormous anger towards their opponent. All of a sudden, the battlefield was quiet again; but the peaceful grassland no longer existed, and huge piles of dead bodies were remained… What actually happened to break out this violent, nonsensical war? The World War I was caused by the initial outbreaks between nations due to nationalistic factors, which served as the basis of militarism in Europe and the imperialistic movements throughout the world.
During the years of 1890’s and 1900’s, the nationalistic movements such as Black Hands and Assassination of Archduke Franz were carried out as an opposing power towards their imperial governments, along with movements that were to fulfill the nations’ self-interest such as French Isolation and Three Emperors League had led to the outbreak of the wars in Europe. The Black Hand, a secret society whom goal was to create a greater Serbia and by joining Serbia with a free Bosnia, carried out violent terroristic movements against Austria-Hungary such as the assassination of Archduke Franz, the murder of the heir of Austria-Hungary. (Beck, 844) This assassination had highly displeased Austria-Hungary, and they decided to use this murder as an excuse to send an ultimatum to Serbia; but with Serbia’s rejection, Austria-Hungary mobilized its army and declared war on Serbia, which also led to the mobilization of Russian army and declarations of war between Austria and Russia, along with the alliance systems were formed in this area. (Coetzee, 23-25) Meanwhile, a German administrator named Otto von Bismarck carried out the French Isolation, which its initial goal was to prevent France from alliancing with other nations, but its actual purpose was to weaken France’s power so that the Germans could be protected. (Beck, 842) In
Cited: Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Philip C. Naylor, and Dahia Ido Shabaka. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evaston, IL: McDougal Little, 2007. Print. Chauriaut, Henri. La Belgique Moderne (1910). "World War I: Belgium." World War I. N.p., 15 June 2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Coetzee, Frans, and Marilyn Sherin Coetzee. World War I: a History in Documents. Oxford: Oxford Up, 2002. Print. Henig, Buth. The Origins of the First World War: Third Edition. New York, NY: Routlege, 2002. Print. Stone, Norman. World War One. New York: Basic, 2009. Print.