Role of Nationalism in the First World War
Midterm 1 Hist 150 Role of Nationalism in the First World War
Nationalism played an integral role in the outbreak of the First World War. Nationalism began as a unifying force demanding nation states to come together. Nationalism developed into a phenomenon where people with shared cultural, religious and ethnic heritage believed in a perceived superiority to other peoples. This perceived superiority altered nationalism and slowly turned it into Social Darwinism which began to develop throughout Europe during the Nineteenth Century. For some countries like Serbia and Germany, nationalism meant unification but for others like Austria, nationalism threatened to tear them apart. In addition, nationalism also caused tension between countries.
In Austria-Hungary conflicting nationalisms fueled tensions within the state. Austria contained many different ethnicities within its borders. Austria-Hungary’s Dual Monarchy made sense economically, but it also combined dozens of different ethnic groups including a sizeable Slavic population. Austrians and Hungarians were the only ethnic groups allowed to rule which caused the other ethnic groups to call for independence. Radical Serbs brutally killed the king and queen and staged a coup d’état. Relations between the Dual Monarchy strained as the new Serbian government supported Pan-Slavism. Slavs living in Serbia wished to annex those living in the Dual Monarchy. Relations also soured when financially dependent Serbia began to expand her market by trading with Bulgaria. Austria then turned to Germany as her new trading partner instead of responding to Austria’s threats. (Lyons, pg. 33-34)
Serbia wanted to unify the Slavic people living in other countries like Austria-Hungary. After the Balkan Wars, Serbia nearly doubled in size and the demand to free other Slavic people became widespread throughout the Nineteenth Century. The aim to free Slavic people of foreign control soon spiraled out of control and
Nationalism played an integral role in the outbreak of the First World War. Nationalism began as a unifying force demanding nation states to come together. Nationalism developed into a phenomenon where people with shared cultural, religious and ethnic heritage believed in a perceived superiority to other peoples. This perceived superiority altered nationalism and slowly turned it into Social Darwinism which began to develop throughout Europe during the Nineteenth Century. For some countries like Serbia and Germany, nationalism meant unification but for others like Austria, nationalism threatened to tear them apart. In addition, nationalism also caused tension between countries.
In Austria-Hungary conflicting nationalisms fueled tensions within the state. Austria contained many different ethnicities within its borders. Austria-Hungary’s Dual Monarchy made sense economically, but it also combined dozens of different ethnic groups including a sizeable Slavic population. Austrians and Hungarians were the only ethnic groups allowed to rule which caused the other ethnic groups to call for independence. Radical Serbs brutally killed the king and queen and staged a coup d’état. Relations between the Dual Monarchy strained as the new Serbian government supported Pan-Slavism. Slavs living in Serbia wished to annex those living in the Dual Monarchy. Relations also soured when financially dependent Serbia began to expand her market by trading with Bulgaria. Austria then turned to Germany as her new trading partner instead of responding to Austria’s threats. (Lyons, pg. 33-34)
Serbia wanted to unify the Slavic people living in other countries like Austria-Hungary. After the Balkan Wars, Serbia nearly doubled in size and the demand to free other Slavic people became widespread throughout the Nineteenth Century. The aim to free Slavic people of foreign control soon spiraled out of control and
Bibliography: Class notes, Professor Griffin Lyons, M. (2000). World War One. (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Upper Saddle River.