EVENTS THAT CAUSED WORLD WAR I

           EVENTS THAT CAUSED WORLD WAR I

It was the first truly global conflict which caused death and destruction on industrial scale

The rivalries among the European imperialist powers over colonial possessions and conflicts among various European states over European affairs led to the First World War

The war pitted the Central Powers—mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States

Reasons of World War I

Imperialism

Europeans powers were emulating for getting control over large territory which led to confrontation between Britain and Germany in Africa which ultimately resulted in scrambling of Africa continent

“Sick man of Europe” i:e Ottoman empire was disintegrated hence both Russia and Austria were trying to get control over that

Industrialization in Germany compelled it to search the venue for its raw material which placed it on direct confrontation with Britain

Militarism

Naval rivalry between Britain and Germany to become supreme in the world make their relations even more tensed

Militarism fathered dangerous child i:e Arms race in Europe which led to huge war carnage

Nationalism

Russian “Pan Slavism” inflamed Russian policies to support the Serbs

Serbians Wanted to unite all Serbs in Balken and liberate Bosnia and Herzgovina from Austria-Hungary

Secret Alliance

Secret alliances divided whole of the Europe into two groups which facilitated the situation to reach the point of no return

Economic Causes

Rise in Capitalist class lead to increase in demand for raw material and market which started the race of imperialism between Britain and Germany

Germany reversed the policy of Bismarck to remain confined to European land since according to Kaiser Wilhelm “Future of Germany lies in European Water”

Britain wanted to be the only imperialist in the World

They wanted to built the Cairo-Cape rail line but German territories were the biggest obstacle

Territorial Dispute

Austria-Hungary and Serbia were already in a state of conflict over the land dispute over Bosnia-Herzegovina

Role of Press

Press propaganda continuously inflamed already tensed situation

It makes the people and their governments believe that war was the only way out

Immediate Cause

June 28, 1914, in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were shot dead by a Bosnian Serb, Gavrilo Princip

The Austrians decided to present an unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia and then to declare war, relying on Germany to deter Russia from intervention