World War I Essay

1285 Words6 Pages

World War I was a complex interplay of factors, including intense nationalism, aggressive Imperialism, a dangerous arms race, and a complex web of alliances, which ultimately led to a devastating global conflict that shaped the course of world history. World War I lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was one of the deadliest wars in history, with about 16 million military and civilian deaths. The war had gotten to the point of many consequences, including empires collapsing, national borders being moved, and new rise to political movements. The main cause of the war was NIMA, but to top it off a Serbian terrorist group came together and assassinated the Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand. The Industrial Revolution played a big part in the …show more content…

Nationalism was the idea that people who share a common language, culture, language, culture, history, or religion should have their own nation-state. It started before the war in Europe where there were many different ethnic groups and empires, as well as competition for resources, territory, and power. It also created loyalty to one’s country, which made people more willing to fight and die for their nation in times of war. The assassination of the archduke just led to a chain reaction of the events leading up to the war, important in the war because it was what structured the armies to be so strong. The document reprinted from the origins by James Joll depicts, “This war must bring about the eternal freedom of Serbia, of the South Slavs, of the Balkan people.” This quote shows that the war was not being fought just for the interests of a single country, but rather the freedom and independence of an entire region. This sentence portrays the anti-imperialist movements going around. This resulted in competition and rivalry between imperial powers, as each country sought to assert its dominance and promote its own national …show more content…

Militarism was the belief that a country should maintain a strong military and be prepared to use it to defend its interests. European countries were engaged in an arms race, with each country seeking to build up its military strength and capabilities. This was driven by fears of other countries becoming more powerful, as well as a sense of national pride and prestige. It also led to new weapons and technologies such as machine guns, tanks, and chemical weapons which made the war more deadly and destructive. The chart made from 1870 through 1914 by Gordan A. Craig, shows the amount of money spent on armaments. The chart shows that Great Britain Spent the most money overall but specifically in 1900. Militarism made countries more willing to use force to achieve their goal, creating a sense of competition and rivalry between different countries. It also contributed to the scale of devastation of the war, as new weapons and tactics were used to terrible effect. The legacy of Militarism serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked military power and the importance of pursuing peaceful solutions to global