The quote embodied within the name Woodrow Wilson (U.S. President 1913-21) is that World War 1 (WW1 - 1914-1918) was ‘the war to end all war’. Indeed in its time, WW1 seemed as the war of the century. As a war felt throughout Europe and with the intervention of other non-European countries, it had various causes. These sparks that let off up to the start of the war are nationalism, imperialism, militarism, the alliances at the time and the murder of Frantz Ferdinand. It is debated, however, that this – the murder of Frantz Ferdinand, was the last and final straw. The nationalistic ride, imperialistic nations, militaristic ideologies and alliances caused an underlying hatred to WW1, the murder giving them the excuse to boil over the top and go to war.
Nationalism (the strong belief that your nation is better than others) directly led to the war because of the desire of the Slavic people in Bosnia and Herzegovina to no longer be part of Austria-Hungary but instead by part of Serbia. It was probably one of the more obvious causes of war because it lead to militarism and imperialism. Many people in positions of power who especially had influence on the media were nationalist and followed what is said in James 4:1-3. Here it says, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” This belief helped cause the war in two ways. It made countries such as Britain, German and France to become more aided in causing the war. A previous war between Germany and France, in which France had annexed the mineral rich region of Alsace-Loraine caused the French to the Germans and they became enraged whenever they insulted their beloved