World War I Dbq Essay

The beginning of the twentieth century was fraught with tensions in Europe. Nationalism, the belief that one's country is better than all other countries, led to increased strains between nations. Ideas of imperialism, the expansion of a country to form an empire, led to the creation of colonies in areas such as the far east and Africa. This frantic struggle for land also caused hostile feelings among the European powers. Many nations knew some form of bloodshed was imminent and formed alliances in preparation. These alliances only served to bring more countries into the eventual climax of these tensions: World War I. Nearly forty countries participated in the deadly altercation, resulting in millions of soldier and civilian casualties. Alliances,

This shows the German and Austro-Hungarian alliance that brought Germany into World War I. (Doc 1) This document is a political agreement between two countries. Therefore, it is likely not false or exaggerated. Specifically, it shows the response to the political tensions in Europe: the formation of alliances. (Purpose Doc 1) The excerpts from the English translation of the Triple Alliance details the agreement between Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary to protect each other in the event of an attack from another country. This again shows how various countries were allying with each other in preparation for war. In doing so, they made World War I much larger than it truly needed to be. (Doc 3) This document is also a political agreement between countries, so it is trustworthy. In particular, this agreement highlights the fear held by many countries that they would find themselves alone when a war began. This fear led to the creation of alliances. (Purpose Doc 3) The excerpts from the English translation of The Franco-Russian Alliance Military Convention explains the agreement between Russia and France to protect each other if either country is attacked by Italy, Germany or

Militarism also played a key role. The agitation felt throughout Europe led many countries to prepare for war, which only increased its likelihood. Various countries engaged in arms races in the twentieth century. A key example is the naval contest between Great Britain and Germany. Both wanted to protect their merchant ships and maintain control over trade routes and aimed to do so through their navy. Both countries' fixation on naval superiority led to expansion of both navies and continued hostilities. (Outside Information 1) The quote from Sir Edward Grey states how, in the event of war, entire nations would be mobilized. He also remarks on the sheer amount of soldiers that would become involved in the fighting, and the amount of destruction modern weapons would wreak. This accurately describes the military preparedness of Europe. Almost every country had weapons and manpower prepared for war. (Doc 2) Grey, a former British foreign secretary, would have had first-hand knowledge about the strength and military preparedness of various nations. Because he speaks about the predicted consequences of a war, without a visible bias for any country, he can be considered trustworthy. (Purpose Doc 2) In their preparations for war, many countries prepared war plans with hopes of swift success. The French had Plan XVII, a bombardment of attacks against their enemies. The Schlieffen plan, created by Germany, aimed to