Europe in 1914: A Powder Keg Ready to Explode
QUESTION: To what extent was Europe a powder Keg ready to explode in 1914?
Europe was to a great extent a ‘powder keg’ ready to explode prior to 1914. Despite conflicting views on the causes of World War 1, the outbreak of this War was not inevitable, nor was it the result of one key event. However, it was more a product of rising tensions, rivalry and fear within Europe, which dated back primarily to the 18th and 19th centuries. Emerging new ideologies and the development of new technologies facilitated change in the structure of European societies. As a result, European powers felt the need to exert their dominance and control through military expansion, and aggressive nationalism. The ethnocentric attitudes prevailing at this time lead to a desire of many nations to expand their empires and colonies to new areas. All of this led to the development of complex alliance systems, governed by diplomacy and strategy. Due to such, the reflection that Europe was a powder keg ready to explode in 1914, is significantly valid. As it encapsulates and reflects the rising tensions amongst powers at that time, and the mutual mistrust and resentment between them. Prior to the outbreak of World War 1, the desire to imperialize and expand colonies was imperative to major European powers. This consequently resulted in intense competition for colonies and thus created tension between them. The nature of nations Empire building during this period was characterised by a nation’s aggressive pursuit of colonies, this was known as ‘New Imperialism’. As a result, from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an additional 23 million square kilometers of land came under imperialist control. The urgency to expand territory into the African, Asian and Pacific areas was motivated by economic, political, religious and ethnocentric ideals. Prior to 1914, Germany’s defeat over France led to the gaining of the Provinces of Alsace Lorraine. Thus, France’s desire to colonise other
Europe was to a great extent a ‘powder keg’ ready to explode prior to 1914. Despite conflicting views on the causes of World War 1, the outbreak of this War was not inevitable, nor was it the result of one key event. However, it was more a product of rising tensions, rivalry and fear within Europe, which dated back primarily to the 18th and 19th centuries. Emerging new ideologies and the development of new technologies facilitated change in the structure of European societies. As a result, European powers felt the need to exert their dominance and control through military expansion, and aggressive nationalism. The ethnocentric attitudes prevailing at this time lead to a desire of many nations to expand their empires and colonies to new areas. All of this led to the development of complex alliance systems, governed by diplomacy and strategy. Due to such, the reflection that Europe was a powder keg ready to explode in 1914, is significantly valid. As it encapsulates and reflects the rising tensions amongst powers at that time, and the mutual mistrust and resentment between them. Prior to the outbreak of World War 1, the desire to imperialize and expand colonies was imperative to major European powers. This consequently resulted in intense competition for colonies and thus created tension between them. The nature of nations Empire building during this period was characterised by a nation’s aggressive pursuit of colonies, this was known as ‘New Imperialism’. As a result, from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an additional 23 million square kilometers of land came under imperialist control. The urgency to expand territory into the African, Asian and Pacific areas was motivated by economic, political, religious and ethnocentric ideals. Prior to 1914, Germany’s defeat over France led to the gaining of the Provinces of Alsace Lorraine. Thus, France’s desire to colonise other