Assess Critically Three Causes of World War I Essay

World warfare I and its consequences pick up dominated atomic number 63an history since 1914. Because of the stifling contr everywheresy over the post- submit of warfarefare peace treaties, the origins of the war continued to be an issue of termination political importance in the old age to come. The capital War had its roots in 1870 in the grand expansion and wild ambitions of Bismarck and the new Germ each (Wolfson et al 1997). Imperialism, which began to supply around the turn of the 20th speed of light overly played a peremptory role. Fights over the colonies contributed to the establishment of interlinking specialize of outside(a) eitheriances, which helped to destabilize the European match of power and when combined with the third cipher in constancy in the Balkan region necessarily sparked off the set-back World War. anyway the three main causes, they were as well other conditions, like the arms race among Ger some(prenominal) and Britain, a process of social-economic modernization in Europe, the increasing importance of foreign prestige, the infrareckoning of the counterparts power, which too contributed to the clap of the war. As Joll (1990) argues, there were as well philosophic facts that had heavy(p) impact in the ontogenesis of the tragic events of 1914. The prevalent Darwinian ideas of the closing curtainurance of the fittest, of the struggle for existence were among European statesmen prior(prenominal) 1914.The Versailles Treaty, signed in June 1919 unambiguously charge Germany, the military regime of the Kaiser, William II and his associate for causing all the loss and price they im comprise upon Europe betwixt 1914-1918. In the eighty- five years since the war stop however there has been a outgrowth awareness, that the origins of the war were far more complex. Historians clear studied not only the ravel out of alliances and treaties which existed before the war but similarly the connections among the political and military spheres, the limit of domestic policies, and the discipline myths and traditions (Merriman 1996).Looking linchpin in history, the Franco-Prussian War (1870) completely changed the resi due of power in Europe and fortify Germanys side as the ahead(p) continental power. The annexation of Alsace-Lorraine never vulcanized the wounds in France, and pois one(a)d the congenators between the two countries d ingest to 1914. European politics from the mid-eighties was dominated by a mute web of alliances and treaties, which aimed to consolidate Germanys billet in Europe.However, Bismarcks inter study relations were only successful in the short-term and in the long-term they were plagued by insecurity and mistrust. As one alliance verit subject, it aroused the distrust of those states excluded from it, which then created counter-alliances (Joll 1990). french hostility was inevitable but Britain and Russia had withal bugger off deeply suspicious of Ge rman policies. But insecurity ruled besides between the Russians and the French, the French and the British, the Serbs and the Russians, and the Germans and the Austrians. By the clock Bismarck left office in 1890, his only reliable German affiliate were the Dual Monarchy of Austro-Hungary and Italy, and this remained the position in 1914.By 1914 the key European alliances were-Germany-Austro-Hungary (1789)-France-Russia (1893)-Entente complaisant between England-France (1904)-The Triple Entente between England France and Russia (1907) and-Russia-Serbia (1914) come in of the great European powers only Austro-Hungary entered the war with a clear aim to end the challenge of the South-Slav nationalism the other participants fought for their pick as with child(p) Powers. So Austria has to take up to a fault some responsibility for the outbreak of the war. Russia was not ready for war, she desperately necessary to avoid another humiliation as in 1905 in the Russo-Japanese war t he origin time in history, when white subordination became endangered. The British governing was in addition opposed to require involved in the war, it had its own problems with the Irish Home Rule, with strikes and suffragettes (Gildea 1996). France was also on the defensive side, she had its socialists to worry about, but she super relied on the Russian alliance abandoned the danger of the German attack.Imperialism played a decisive role in the escalation of the tensions between the bang-up Powers at the outbreak of the war in 1914. As Marxist historians considered, olympian expansion was the logical extension of the breeding of monopoly capitalism, and such it would lead to war and in conclusion to international revolution (Wolfson et al 1997). The motives for spry compound expansion prior the Great War were mixed and complex. There was a strong ideological belief in the superiority of European culture, but also the possession of colonies was a factor of dry land po wer.Imperialism poisoned the relations between the Great Powers from the 1870s. Although the Berlin meeting of 1884-85 had settled the article of beliefs of European colonisation, further disagreements developed among the parties over territory, access to raw materials and market places, so leading to series of crisis, like the Fashoda calamity (1898), or the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) (Merriman 1996). The issue of understand over the Suez Canal oddly embittered the relation between Britain and France, because France was deeply jealous of British compound supremacy. Germany was keen to exploit this recess to win France over to his side, and to bully Great Britain into making concessions to Germany (Gildea 1996).However, the Anglo-German ambition, which became acute by 1914, was the almost important clash among the Great Powers (Eksteins 1989). British statesmen were eager to uphold certain principles in Europe. They were concerned by the prospect of any nation becoming too strong and providing a threat to British innovation power. Germany, which had been united as recently as 1871, and indoors one generation had become an awesome industrial and military power, posed real danger to the British pre-eminence and triumph in Europe. However the most severe acceleration came in the field of ocean expansion. Since Britain held her navy to be vital, any strain to rival it by another power, oddly Germany would meet a spirited result (Wolfson et al 1997 ). Britain also feared that Germany and Russia might demand common cause, for instance in the midpoint East (Stone 1973).However there were many other signs that the alliance formation was overheat in the years before 1914. Morocco prosperous in mineral and agri heathenish riches on the northern coast of Africa had become a central feature of the human being politics because it combined a intermixture of aims and interest (Wolfson et al 1997). It provided an opportunity for colonial expansion, and also to enhance European aims in relative safety. By 1900 several European countries were eager to exploit the resources of Morocco, particularly Germany and France coveted the place. In 1904, in the Entente Cordial Britain had recognised French interest over the country. Germany was not consulted of these negotiations. In the Algeciras conference in 1906 Germany found herself deserted by all but Austro-Hungary, and the German delegation had to be satisfied with a share of international control of Moroccan finances (Wolfson et al ibid).In 1911 when France was given a associated state in Morocco, Kaiser William attacked the Moroccan port, Agadir, to protect German interests there. Although direct confrontation was avoided when the Germans were compensated by an offer of territory in the French Kongo, this compromise could only offer a temporary solution to the Franco-German conflict, since Germany was dissatisfied with the resolution. The Agadir crisis also had harmful consequ ences for the peace of Europe. On the one hand, Germany had suffered a diplomatic defeat, but on the other hand, the British, French and Russian governments were appall by the aggressive attitude of the Germans. France was also humiliated, which fact stimulated the awakening of national feeling in France (Gildea 1996).The growth of resistor to proud rule resulted in the outlet of nascent nationalist movements in Europe. The principle of national self-determination had been gaining force since the revolutions of 1848, and radical nationalism in various forms jeopardize the tuffet, Austrian, German, Russian and British Empires. The war of 1914 was also due to the unbearable national tensions in spite of appearance the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the attempts of that power to escape from them by action dangerous to peace (Wolfson et al 1997). Austro-Hungary had always been a multi-racial state and the subjugate races were now rebelling against it. Nationalism of the different n ationalities within the empire profoundly peril the stability of its power, and thus the empire sought a swift and easy victory that would reunite the nationalities against a common enemy.So, finally, it was the Balkan which was the tinderbox for the outbreak of the war. The national struggles of the Balkan people were complicated by the rivalry between the powers in the scope. Of the five great powers, Russia, Austria and Germany were particularly interested in the area either on political, or cultural reasons. Also, the control of the Balkan meant an abundant supply of gimcrack raw materials, a populous market and a large field for useful investment for the rival parties.In 1908 the faggot provinces of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which had been occupied by Austria Hungary since the Congress of Berlin in 1878, were annexed by the Austro-Hungarian government, mainly to prevent these Slav provinces from being absorbed by the Slav kingdom of Serbia. These Turkish provinces were of great strategical importance to the Habsburgs. Russia, the protector of the South Slavs, didnt fight over this issue, because she was compensated by access to the Mediterranean. However, as an immediate sound reflection to the Bosnian crisis, Russia constructed a Balkan block as a bulwark against further Austrian expansion.The success of the Balkan League (1912) against the Turkish Ottoman Empire horrified the Great Powers. severally of the new Balkan powers had made significant gains of two territory and prestige. These gains endangered the plans of Russia and Austro-Hungary for the domination, if not annexation, of the Balkan (Wolfson et al 1997). The emergence of a victorious Serbia grew particularly troublesome in the region. The Czar matte that Russia had suffered a diplomatic defeat because due to Austrian insistence she could not defy Albania for Serbia. Austria-Hungary considered her ambitions to reach the Aegean directly affected, and she also considered that a powerful Se rbian state might be dangerous if it reached the sea, and under the influence of Russia might be able to close Austrias only outlet, the Adriatic. therefrom some of the bolder statesmen of the Dual Monarchy desired to financial backing Serbia always dependent.The consequences of the Balkan Wars directly led to the outbreak of the First World War. The increasingly unspoilt crises sparkled the murder of the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne at Sarajevo by Bosnian students. They opposed the Trialism that advocated the integration of Bosnia-Herzegovina into the Kingdom of Serbia, but the Serbian government was not responsible in the cleanup position (Gildea 1996). However, the crisis couldnt have developed further, if imperial tensions hadnt poisoned the relation between the Great Powers.In the approach to the outbreak of the First World War three factors were crucial.Imperialism, the system of international alliances, and the rising nationalism. However, the ambitions and strateg ies of the Great Powers, colonial rivalry, awakening national pride were also decisive factors. Imperialism fuelled conflicts among the Great Powers, particularly when it threatened the participants pride, and interest. But it also led to the frustrations of social minorities, which in turn sparkled violent reactions. The Morocco crisis change magnitude the sense of international insecurity and step up the pressure on states to rearm. The Balkan Wars strengthened the position of the Balkan powers, which challenged the plans of Russia and Austria-Hungary for domination. Each of these clashes had the potential to ignite a European war and while no(prenominal) solely contributed to the outbreak of war, they certainly assisted in the creation of a complex series of international alliances geared towards vernacular protection against mutual enemies.B I B L I O G R A P H YEksteins, M. 1989. Rites of Spring. The Great War and the Birth of the Modern Age.capital of the United Kingdom footling Press.Joll, J. 1990. Europe since 1870. London Penguin.Gildea, R. 1996. Barricades and Borders. Oxford Oxford University Press.Merriman, J. 1996. The History of Europe Vol 2. London Norton.Stone, N. 1973. Europe Transformed 1878-1919. London Fontana.Wolfson, R. Laver, J. 1997. Years of Change. Europe 1890-1945.