The World War 1 (WW1) breaks out the 28 June 1914 and ended on the 11 November 1918. The WW1 opposed the Triple Entente; France, Russia and Britain to the Central Powers; Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. During the 4 years of war other countries joined the war such as; America, Turkey, Serbia…With all the countries who joined the WW1 c, it had caused about 8.5 million deaths and about 21 million wounded. The essay is going to show what the break out of the WW1 was and what the main cause of the WW1 was. There are 5 different main causes that the reader is going to discuss on; the M, Military, A, Alliances, I, Imperialism, N, Nationalism, S, Significant Personalities. Whole this essay is writing from the reader’s point of view.
The reader has the same opinion as most of the historians. Most of the historians think that the break out the WW1 one was caused by the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand (AFF) on the 28th 1914. The AFF was heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the Central Power. At this time the Austro-Hungarian Empire had a complete control on Serbia, even though the Serbians seen themself has a part of Russia. The AFF had being assassinated with his wife, Sophie Chotek von Chotvoka. The 28th was their weeding birthday and also the national day of Serbia. The AFF and his wife have been assassinated by a young Serbian, Gavrilo Princip. Gavrilo Princip shouted twice and killed the AFF and his wife. He did not know that what he had just done was the break out of one of the bloodiest war in the world history. The assassination of the AFF and his wife is a short cause; it was the matchstick that catches on fire a barrel of TNT (the barrel of TNT represents the 5 main causes).
The first cause that the reader is going to discuss to about is the Military cause, a short term cause. The Military cause is the fact about the European countries expending their armies, navy and the Schlieffen Plan. The military extension was a race between the two sides; Triple Entente and the Central Power (Source A). The race for an extension of army was on sea and on ground. The extension of the navy started when Kaiser Wilhelm said in 1898 “Our future lies upon the ocean”. The navy extension was mainly between Britain and Germany (as shows Source B). In only 8 years the Britain navy reached 38 dreadnoughts and dreadnought battle cruisers and the German nave reached 24 dreadnoughts and dreadnought battle cruisers. The Schlieffen Plan was designed by the German General Count Alfred von Schlieffen in December 1905. This plan had been designed to take over Europe without having to fight on two sides; on a side the French and the other side the Russians. The Schlieffen Plan gave 6 weeks to Germany to invaded France trough Belgium. The Germans needed to pass through Belgium to around the French defenses (Source C). Also from the Schlieffen Plan was not expected that Britain was going to join the war. Even if the Schlieffen Plan had been plaited for 9 years it had been made on assuming and suppositions.
The next cause the reader is going to talk about Alliances. The two main alliances are the Central Powers and the Triple Entente. The European Countries started making alliances and ententes because they become suspicious at each other. There is a difference between this two sides, it is that one of them is a real alliance and the other is treaty. (Source D) The real alliance is the Central Powers; they all have an alliance between them, plus these alliances are about 34 years old. The triple Entente countries have an entente, which in a way says that you are my friend because my country need to, and their ententes are 10 and even 7 years old. The alliances system was involved in the WW1 because it is a ‘chain reaction’. When Gavrilo Princip assassinated the AFF, Austria-Hungary declared war to Serbia. Then Russia who was supporting Serbia get into the war, same has Germany who had an alliance with Austria-Hungary. This is how the alliance system leaded the countries to enter the WW1.
The next topic is the Imperialism, a long term cause. Under Imperialism there are two main points, the first one is that Germany wanted her place in the sun; the second one is the treaty of Frankfurt. Germany wanted her place in the sun (Source F) because Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm, was jealous of the Britain and French Empire. (Source E) Kaiser Wilhelm was dreaming about this, his, empire, his glory time. This explains why he extended his army forces. The 10th May of 1871 the German signed a treaty against the French Government. Because France the War against Germany they had to sign a treaty, the treaty of Frankfurt. The treaty of Frankfurt says: the French Government has to pay 5 billion Francs to the German and the French Government has to give away Alsace Lorraine. This treaty did not give a better relation with the German. Imperialism is as this essay mentioned before lead to Military extension and Alliances.
The last cause is Nationalism; a long term cause. Nationalism is the fact to show love and support to your country. The Nationalism started at the time of the Napoleonic War. The Nationalism is related to the assassination of the AFF. The assassination happened on the 28th of June which as the essay mentioned before it is the national day of Serbia; a day where honored their heroes. So that gives a reason for Gavrilo Princip to assassinated the AFF this day.
For the reader opinion the break out of the WW1 happened because of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. And the main cause of the WW1, again from the reader point of view, is Imperialism. The Imperialism is probably the most important because, as the essay mentioned before Imperialism lead to Militarism and Alliances.
Dreadnoughts
Great Britain
Germany
1906
1
0
1907
3
0
1908
2
4
1909
2
3
1910
3
1
1911
5
3
1912
3
2
1913
7
3
1914
3
1
Total
29
17
Dreadnought battle-cruisers Great Britain
Germany
1906
0
0
1907
3
0
1908
0
0
1909
1
0
1910
1
2
1911
2
1
1912
1
2
1913
1
2
1914
0
0
Total
9
7
Historyonthenet (25/02/2013) :http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW1/assassination.htm
Class notes (2013)
C.Bracewell (2013)
Chris Trueman(2013):http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/naval_race_1906_to_1914.htm
A&E television Networks, LLC (2013)