What was the cause(s) of WW1?

Question

That Franz Ferdinand stuff just doesn't wash with me.

Answer 1

Oh, that archduke was just asking for it. Did you see the way he was dressed?

Answer 2

Franz Ferdinand was just the spark, but the fact that it happened in Serbia provides a clue to the real underlying cause, which (or so I had it drilled into me at school) was the "Eastern Question" - ie, the decay of the previously powerful Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and the resulting power vacuum in the Balkans which made Russia and the Western European powers itchy in an age when European imperialism was still the norm. They were all obviously dying for a fight, otherwise the assassination of FF wouldn't have set the whole thing off.

Answer 3

From a different perspective i think the war was a result of the industrial revolution. The need for raw materials led countries to become imperialistic. The ability to manufacture weapons led to the arms race. And 'The Great War' presents a lot of class issues as well. It was one of the last wars that nobility fought in. The Archduke Ferdinand was shot by a nationalist which was really the straw that broke the camels back. The Bolshevik revolution, caused by class struggle, brought Russia out of the war.

The war was not won on the battlefield but rather in the economies of the participating countries. The war came to be the largest military conflict seen because nations had the ability to divert huge resources into the war industry and build ships, bombs, tanks, and guns. The war became an a 'war of contrition and conscription' where the way to win was to wear the enemy down.

Answer 4

Nationalism (or culturalism)--Certain countries and alot of citizens thought that all Germanic people should come together into on nation, and likewise with Slavic people coming together. Austria-Hungary and Germany were trying to unite the Germanic people, while Russia was trying to unite the Slavic people.

Militarism--Military buildup of many nations, especially Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia.

A crazy web of alliances.

Combine these together and it looks like this: Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated in Serbia. The Balkins have always been a hotbed of nationalism and fighting. After the assassination, Russia blamed Austria-Hungary of trying to incite a fight. Russia mobilized their military on the border, and Austria-Hungary saw this as an act of war, so they declared war. Germany had an alliance with Austria-Hungary so they joined the war. France had an alliance with Russia, so Germany took France, and Belgium. Great Britain had an alliance with Belgium so they entered the war....etc, etc.

Answer 5

Fine, as you have already made it clear Ruth, I won't mention anything about an assassination. In July, 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany (Austria-Hungary's ally and together known as the 'Central Powers') declared war on Russia and then on France. Britain then declared war on Germany (since neutral Belgium was invaded), and by the end of 1914 Turkey had joined the Central Powers. More like a snowball than a match that lit the powderkeg, wasn't it? How does that wash with you?

Answer 6

We learnt this for our exam in January for A Level. As said above in that really long answer + :-

German Weltpolitik & Kaiser Wilhelm - encourage Austria to give Serbia ultimatum, declare war on Russia, invade Belgium & France.

Interest in the Balkans - for access to the coast & raw materials (Austria & Russia)

Breakdown of Ottoman Empire - led to split up of Serbian people which led to Balkan Nationalism - Gavrillo Princip shot the archduke

alliance system - Franco Russian Alliance, Dual Alliance (Austria & Hungary) although no side joined due to an alliance it created tension.

imperialism - created tension in the 2 Morroccan Crises, The Kruger Telegram incident etc.

Answer 7

Due to rising technical progess the people and their countries established the concept of nationalism. That leads those nations to hegemonial domination efforts. In my opinion the countries wanted war, hte killing of Franz Ferdinand was welcomed. A trigger for starting aggressions.

Nowadays in a globalized world - you can not be a nationalist anymore.

Answer 8

The real bone of contention was the border war faught between France and Germany back in the mid 1800's when the region of Lorraine was lost to Germany and was renamed Alsase.
After this all sorts of treaties were drawn up by all the countries of Europe to protect their borders and sovereignty.
In a sense these treaties said that a country could not attack another, unless it was attacked itself. Communication soon began to break down and Germany increased the size of it's millitary as a form of defence.
As a counter measure all the others followed suit and it began to snowball. The treaties that were drawn up to protect Europe from war were now beginning to strangle each individual nation and it was looking like it would be less effort to have a war, have it over by christmas, than to try to prevent one.
Europe was on the brink of war and someone needed to light the touch paper. Gavrillo Princip lit the paper by assasinating Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand.
Austria who were allied to Germany wanted revenge on Serbia, Princips country and the only way they would get it would be if Germany went to war. Germany marched into neutral Belgium and Britain declared war on Germany, as Britain was acting as the guarantee to Belgiums neutrality.
Everyone expected the war to let off steam and be over by christmas. But after heavy rainfall in the October 1914, the momentum of the war became bogged down and the troops were ordered to entrench.
A very long, pointless and bloody stalemate ensued. Costing thousands of lives.

Answer 9

Assasination of Franz Ferdinand was an excuse to start.
Someone already said it good, there was a lot of tension.
"The assassination in Sarajevo set into motion a series of fast-moving events that escalated into a full-scale war. However, the ultimate causes of the conflict were multiple and complex".

Answer 10

The last paragraph of Barrowman's answer is the most pertinent
But also from a human angle,the Kaiser was p*****d off with the downgrading treatment of his grandmama,Queen Victoria,and felt he was ready to have a go!Remember,before Bismarck there was no Germany,just a load of squabbling states that Prussia sought to control

Answer 11

Archduke ferdinand was assassinated---the story had it he was on his way to a medical facility when the coach took a wrong turn---then the shots rang out. How would an assassin know the carriage would be making that fateful mistake. I say the driver was a bad guy in on the whole thing. Conspiracy theory