World War I: The Most Progressive Periods Of The 20th Century

Categorized by the rise of technological advancements, decolonization, and wars that would redefine the era, the 20th century is known as one of the most progressive periods in history. At the beginning of the century global rivalries and a general sense of mistrust arose and led the world into a state of genuine hysteria. Not long after tensions began to rise, with militarism, nationalism, and imperialism acting as the basis for World War I in 1914.
Militarism, or the expansion of a country’s military to wage war, established feelings of caution and apprehensiveness among countries. After the fallout from the invasions of the Napoleonic and Franco-Prussian Wars, Otto von Bismarck, founder of the German Empire, felt it was necessary to isolate France to keep them weak and started to build up the German military. In the year 1914 Germany spent roughly 90 million British pounds on military weapons and equipment, 65 million more than they spent in 1890 (The Rise of Militarism, 1870-1914). Seeing Germany as a threat, the French began to build up their army accordingly, spending about 40 million pounds on armaments in 1914 (The Rise of Militarism, 1870-1914). Germany also began building up their navy, which made the British feel insecure as they had one of the most elite navies during the time. Thus, the British went from spending as little as
Furthermore, this arms race was influential among citizens as they began to feel like a strong