cause of world war Essay -- essays research papers

Cause of World War I Unlike World War II, the causes of World War I are not as clear cut. Historians say the war had been building up for some time prior to 1914. The "Great War" was not caused by megalomaniacs hungry for power as in the case of Mussolini and Hitler during World War II. The origins are more complex. First one is the alliance Systems The causes can be explained, more in political terms than human terms. From the end of the Franco-Prussian War, a system of secret alliances developed in Europe. This eventually split the continent into two hostile sides. Because so many different powers were involved in mutual defense agreements, when the war did happen, it involved nearly every country of Europe. Due to the alliances, some powers were forced to support policies followed by their partners, which they didn't really condone. Lastly, the secret alliances led to suspicion and the belief that far more secret agreements existed, then was in fact, the case. Secondly competition The competition for colonies was another source of international antagonism. The great powers sectioned off Africa among them, established spheres of influence in China and sought protectorates elsewhere. Sooner or later this rush to appropriate new territories was bound to spark disagreements over boundaries of control. Thirdly, militarism All the countries within the hostile camps were building large armies and navies during the pre-war ...