World War I: Through Realist Lens

World War I

Through The Realist’s Lens

World War I or The Great War was a war that shook the world to its core originated in Europe which took place from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. This global war had such a resounding effect that can be felt and seen till this present day. In analysing the First World War especially on how it started, many events can be attributed to it but to understand how and why the war happened, perhaps it is best to start from the Concert of Europe which some would argue, is the first domino piece that started the sequence of events that led to the outbreak of the First World War.

Ironically, the Congress of Vienna or Concert of Europe that was initiated by the Austrian State Chancellor, Prince Klemens Wenzel

In going through more than 20 years of consecutive coalition wars, most European empires namely, Austria, Prussia, Russia, British Empire, Portugal, Sweden and Spain had allied themselves against Napolean Bonaparte’s Imperialistic and Hegemonic ambitions through various treaties and alliances. According to Kenneth Waltz, ”Balance-of-power politics prevail wherever two, and only two requirements are met: that the order be anarchic and that it be populated by units wishing to survive”. This was evident with the creation of alliances like the Coalition Forces and the Quadruple Alliance in efforts to balance off Napoleon and his French empire. The establishment of the Concert of Europe during the last phase of the Napoleonic Wars was to mitigate future wars by maintaining the status quo and balance of power between the five Great Powers of Europe. This effort at a loose security regime was achievable as the European continent was in the process

Decades leading to the outbreak of World War I, empires were trying to balance and counter balance each other by forming military alliances. Under the Treaty of London of 1839, the European powers recognised and guaranteed the independence and neutrality of Belgium. Dual Alliance Treaty (1879) was a defensive alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary incase of a Russian attack. A secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy was concluded in 1882 with the formation of the Triple Alliance. This alliance aimed to ensure that the three parties will aid each other in the event of any military attack from other empires but Italy made another secret alliance with France to remain neutral in the event of an attack. Growth of the German Empire, the formation of the Triple Alliance of 1882 and confrontations with Germany led to the Franco-Russian Military Convention in 1892. Entente Cordial (1904) was an agreement between French and British empires. It was the culmination of the policy of France's foreign minister, Théophile Delcassé. He believed that a positive Franco-Anglo relationship would give France some security against any German advances. The last piece of the alliance puzzle was the Anglo-Russian Convention