The Four Main Causes Of World War I

World War I was one of two world wars that have happened to this day. Seventeen million people were killed, including over one hundred thousand American troops. It was one of the bloodiest wars the world has ever seen before. It lasted from 1914 to 1918. Within this war, the Allies- primarily France, Italy, Russia, and Britain (after 1915), and also the United States (after 1917) - defeated the Central Powers- principally Germany, Turkey, and Austria-Hungary. World War I was directly triggered by the assassination

of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. This happened on June 28, 1914. There are other main reasons too, though, that caused World War I. Four primary reasons are because of treaties and alliances, imperialism (a policy

In the years before the war, many countries in Europe formed alliances and mutual defense agreements. These would pull them into battle. If one country was attacked, the others that had signed the treaties and allied with them would have to defend them. Some alliances that existed were as follows: Russia and Serbia, Britain and Japan, France, Britain, and Belgium, France and Russia, and Germany and Austria-Hungary. If one country was drawn into the war, it could start a chain reaction pulling everyone into the war. So when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia had to come to the aid of Serbia. Germany then declared war on Russia after seeing them mobilizing, organizing and preparing troops for active services. With this France had to come in against Germany and also Austria-Hungary. Germany attacked France through Belgium, which brought Britain in. Therefore Japan was also in the war. Later on, the United States and Italy would come in on either side of the

They wanted their nation to be above all the rest. This was nationalism, an extreme form of patriotic feeling and loyalty to one's country. It led directly to the war. Much of it was because of the desire of the Slovic people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They didn’t want to be a part of Austria-Hungary anymore, but instead be a part of Serbia. Nationalism gave citizens too much confidence in their nation, and also their governments and the strength of their military. It guaranteed them that their country was without blame. It made them believe that even if war did happen, their country would end up victorious. The nationalism of many countries in Europe contributed to not just the beginning of the war, but the extension of it in Europe. Every country wanted to prove its own power and