Assess Critically Three Causes of World War I Essay

World War I and its consequences declare dominated European history since 1914. Because of the bitter controersy over the post- fight tranquillity treaties, the origins of the war continue to be an issue of utmost political importance in the eld to come. The slap-up War had its roots in 1870 in the grand enlargement and un supremacyled ambitions of von capital of North Dakota and the new Germ every(prenominal) (Wolfson et al 1997). Imperialism, which began to emerge around the fling of the 20th century as well as played a decisive role. Fights over the colonies contri stilled to the establishment of complex set of inter matter federations, which helped to destabilize the European end of power and when combined with the third factor instability in the Balkan comp binglent part inevitably sparked off the initial World War.Besides the three primary(prenominal) causes, they were in like manner other conditions, like the arms race mingled with Ger more and Britain, a proce ss of social-economic modernization in Europe, the increasing importance of international prestige, the underestimation of the counterparts power, which likewise contri justed to the outbreak of the war. As Joll (1990) argues, in that location were in like manner philosophical facts that had great impact in the evolution of the tragic events of 1914. The plethoric Darwinian ideas of the survival of the fittest, of the struggle for existence were among European supposesmen prior 1914.The Versailles Treaty, subscribe in June 1919 unambiguously blamed Germany, the military regime of the Kaiser, William II and his assort for causing completely the loss and damage they imposed upon Europe between 1914-1918. In the eighty- five years since the war ended however there has been a growing awareness, that the origins of the war were far more complex. Historians have canvass non only the tangle of alliances and treaties which existed out front the war but also the connections betwe en the political and military spheres, the influence of domestic policies, and the national myths and traditions (Merriman 1996). look back in history, the Franco-Prussian War (1870) completely changed the balance of power in Europe and strengthened Germanys perplex as the leading Continental power. The annexation of Alsace-Lorraine never healed the wounds in France, and poisoned the sexual intercourses between the two countries d accept to 1914. European governing from the 1880s was dominated by a dense web of alliances and treaties, which aimed to consolidate Germanys position in Europe.However, Bismarcks international relations were only successful in the short and in the long-term they were plagued by jeopardy and mistrust. As one alliance developed, 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 also become deeply suspicious of German policies. But ins ecurity ruled also between the Russians and the French, the French and the British, the Serbs and the Russians, and the Germans and the Austrians. By the time Bismarck left office in 1890, his only reliable German consort were the forked 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 gatewayible between England-France (1904)-The Triple Entente between England France and Russia (1907) and-Russia-Serbia (1914)Out of the great European powers only Austro-Hungary entered the war with a clear aim to end the dispute of the South-Slav nationalism the other participants fought for their survival as nifty Powers. So Austria has to apply also some responsibility for the outbreak of the war. Russia was not ready for war, she desperately needed to avoid another humiliation as in 1905 in the Russo-Japanese war the first time in history, when white supremacy be came endangered. The British government was also reluctant to become 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 highly relied on the Russian alliance tending(p) the danger of the German attack.Imperialism played a decisive role in the escalation of the tensions between the huge Powers at the outbreak of the war in 1914. As Marxist historians considered, regal magnification was the logical extension of the development of monopoly capitalism, and such it would lead to war and eventually to international revolution (Wolfson et al 1997). The motives for swift compound expansion prior the Great War were mixed and complex. There was a sacrosanct ideological belief in the superiority of European culture, but also the possession of colonies was a factor of world power.Imperialism poisoned the relations between the Great Powers fr om the 1870s. Although the Berlin Conference of 1884-85 had settled the principles of European colonisation, further disagreements developed among the parties over territory, access to raw materials and commercializes, and then leading to series of crisis, like the Fashoda incident (1898), or the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) (Merriman 1996). The issue of control over the Suez Canal particularly embittered the relation between Britain and France, because France was deeply jealous of British colonial supremacy. Germany was keen to lick this rupture to win France over to his side, and to bully Great Britain into making concessions to Germany (Gildea 1996).However, the Anglo-German rivalry, which became penetrative by 1914, was the most important clash among the Great Powers (Eksteins 1989). British statesmen were desirous to uphold certain principles in Europe. They were concerned by the prospect of any nation becoming too powerful and providing a threat to British world power. Germ any, which had been united as recently as 1871, and in spite of appearance one generation had become an awesome industrial and military power, posed existing danger to the British pre-eminence and mastery in Europe. However the most severe acceleration came in the field of naval expansion. Since Britain held her navy to be vital, any attempt to rival it by another power, particularly Germany would meet a spirited response (Wolfson et al 1997 ). Britain also feared that Germany and Russia might make leafy vegetable cause, for instance in the Middle East (Stone 1973).However there were many other signs that the alliance arranging was overheating in the years before 1914. Morocco rich in mineral and agricultural wealth on the northerly coast of Africa had become a central feature of the world politics because it combined a variety 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(prenominal) 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 protectorate in Morocco, Kaiser William attacked the Moroccan port, Agadir, to protect German interests there. Although post 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 dissatisfy with the resolution. The Agadir crisis also had harmful consequences for the peace of Europe. On the one hand, Germ any had suffered a diplomaticalal defeat, but on the other hand, the British, French and Russian governments were alarmed 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 opposition to imperial rule resulted in the emergence of nascent nationalist movements in Europe. The principle of national self-government had been gaining force since the revolutions of 1848, and revolutionary nationalism in various forms threatened the Ottoman, Austrian, German, Russian and British pudding stones. The war of 1914 was also due to the unbearable national tensions within 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 subject races were now rebelling against it. nationalism of the different nationalities within the empire profoundly threatene d the stability of its power, and thus the empire sought a swift and easy victory that would reunify 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 area. Of the five great powers, Russia, Austria and Germany were particularly concerned in the area either on political, or cultural reasons. Also, the control of the Balkan meant an abundant supply of cheap raw materials, a populous market and a large field for profitable investment for the rival parties.In 1908 the Ottoman 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, in the main to prevent these Slav provinces from being absorbed by the Slav country of Serbia. These Turkish provinces were of great strategic importance to the Habsburgs. Russi a, the protector of the South Slavs, didnt fight over this issue, because she was compensated by access to the Mediterranean. However, as an quick repercussion to the Bosnian crisis, Russia constructed a Balkan block as a barrier against further Austrian expansion.The success of the Balkan League (1912) against the Turkish Ottoman Empire horrified the Great Powers. Each of the new Balkan powers had made significant gains of both 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 rejoicing Serbia grew particularly troublesome in the region. The Czar felt that Russia had suffered a diplomatic defeat because due to Austrian insistence she could not obtain Albania for Serbia. Austria-Hungary considered her ambitions to make the Aegean directly affected, and she also considered that a powerful Serbian state might be dangerous if it reached the sea, and unde r the influence of Russia might be able to close Austrias only outlet, the Adriatic. Therefore some of the bolder statesmen of the Dual Monarchy desired to keep Serbia always dependent.The consequences of the Balkan Wars directly led to the outbreak of the First World War. The increasingly serious 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 killing (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 strategies of the Great Powers, colonial rivalry, awakening national fleece 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 ethnic minorities, which in turn sparkled violent reactions. The Morocco crisis increased the comprehend of international insecurity and intensified 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 enchantment none solely contributed to the outbreak of war, they certainly assisted in the cornerstone of a complex series of international alliances geared towards mutual shelter 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 Bantam Press.Joll, J. 1990. Europe since 1870. London Penguin.Gildea, R. 1996. Barricades and B orders. 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. days of Change. Europe 1890-1945.