The Following the assassination Austria -Hungary issued an alternation to Serbia which was rejected
and Austria-Hungary declare war against Serbia, with common support. Russia came to Serbia
defense therefore initiating first world war.
1. Conflict over alliances
In the age of imperialism prior to world war 1, countries throughout Europe had created
alliances
The alliances promised that each country would support the other if war broke out between
an allies and another great power
Prior to world war 1 the alliances of Russia and Serbia, France and Russia, Germany, Itally
and Austria -hungary, Britain France and Belgium. France Britain and Russia and Japan-
Britain were firmly in place
The alliance between France, Britain and Russia formed in 1907 and called the triple entente
caused the most friction among nations.0germany felt that this alliance surrounding then
was a threat to their power and existence
These conflict over alliance which forced nation to come to the defence of one another led
to the formation of the two sides of world war1
By the start of the war Italy and USA entered on the side of the allied powers which
consisted of Russia,France and Great Britain
The central power alternatively consisted of Germany, Ausria-hungary, the Ottoman empire
and Bulgaria
2. European expansion/ imperialism
In 1900s, several European nations had empiresacross the globe, where they had control
over vast swarts of land
Prior to world war the british and French empires were the world’s most powerful colonising
region like india, modern day known as Vietnam and west and north Africa
The expansion of European nations as empire, it resulted in increased tension among
European countries the tension were the result of many colonies often being acquired
through coersion
Then once a nation has been acquired, it was governed by the imperial nation, many of these
colonials were exploited by their mother countries, dissertation and resentment was
common place.
3. Serbia nationalism
Nationalism was one of the many political forces at play in the time steading upto the world
war1 . with the nationalism in particular playing a key role Serbia nationalism can be can be
dated to the mid and late 1800s through two precipitating nationalism event are directly
linked to the start of ww1. In the Balkans Slavic Serbia sought independence from Austria-
hungary and the ottoman empire and in 1878 they tried to gain control of Bosnia and
hezegovina to form a unified Serbia state , with the decline of the ottoman empire, serbia
nationalism continued to rise culminating in the assassination of the archduke of Austria in
1914 by bosinia Serbia and officially triggering the of the great war
4. The bank check asurance conspired plans of Germany and Ausria-Hugary
The alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary led the start of world war 1it is also
commonly known as the black check assurance in July 1914 during a meeting between
member of the Austrian foreign ministry, the ambassador to berlin, the Germany empire and
the chancellor , Germany offered Austria-Hungary unconditional support in the wave of the
assasinationof Franz Ferdinant
It also gave Austria-Hungarian leader confidence needed to embark on war against Serbia
Its the most conversial division in history of the warfare, because Germany failed to
withdraw the unconditional support when given the opportunity. It is also widely recognized
as one of the main reason Germany is seen as the responsible for the escalation and
countinuation of world war 1
5. Germany millenarism- spirit of 1914
Millenarism is the belief held by the religious, political or social group or movement that a
coming major transformation will occur after which all things will be changed for Germany
leading into world war1, historians report that the spirit of 1914 was high with support from
the Germany population of participation in the war and its support of Austria-Hungary was
away to secure its place as a leading power which was supported by public nationalism and
further united it behind monarchy
The success Germany saw in the opening battles of world war 1 preview a platform for the
Germany government to position itself as able to accomplish more when unified and
nationalistic. However this milleniarism was short lived as Germany was unprepared to fight
the long war which took a dramatic and demolishing toll in its people and larger set the stage
for the rise of the third perch less than two decades later
6. Militarism
As the world entered the 20th century an arms race had begun primarily over the number of each
country’s warship and the increasing size of their armies, country began training more and more
armies, warship themselves increased in size, number of guns speed method of provision and quality
armer. In 1906 with Britain forms trade right which was soon passed as the royal navy and kaiser
Liche marine quickly expanded their ranks with increasingly modern and powerful warships, in
1914gemany had nearly 100 warships and 2 million trained soldiers. Great Britain and Germany
increased their navies.
7. Secret diplomacy
It was also called secret sympathies because countries would secretly negotiate their armies and
tactics to gain advantage over each other
8. Nationalism
Nationalism was also a major cause of World War 1. It made people decide their loyalty based on
ethics or cultural background, instead of shared interests or ideas
9. Arming of war
Countries had spent a large amount of money and energy creating a huge military, which led to a
need for higher army and powerful weapons
Consequences of World War 1 for the USA
The USA did not enter the war at the beginning bur later joined the war to reinforce to enter the
powers. However, no battles were fought in US territory so they did not suffer destruction like their
European allies. After the war, they rose to the top of the world economy as anew power.
END OF WORLD WAR 1
By the fall of 1918, the fides had turned and it became clear the allies were going to win the war.
Bulgaria was the first to surrender, followed by Turkey, bringing to an end the seven centuries-old
ottoman empire. Austria-Hungary facing starvation and civil war signed an armstaile agreement
thereby splitting the union into several smaller countries and bringing an end to itasborb empire with
Germany on the range of chaos and civil war.
Kaisser wileem 2 abdicated , resulting in the country becoming a republic and its new leader,
chancellor Fredrick ebat asking the allies for an armsrace finally the fighting was over. At 11:00am on
nov 1918 the agreed hour of the eleventh month- the guns fell silent
