World War I in a Bombshell

James Williams

World War I began in Europe on July 28th, 1914 and ended on November 11th, 1918 at 11

A.M. World War One was such a lengthy and intense war that it is often referred to as The Great

War. There were many causes to The Great War, but there are three main reasons why the

countries were at odds. Before the start of the war, tensions were rising between European

nations, especially Britain and Germany. Countries were building up their military and citizens

had extreme nationalism, or pride in their country. The assassination of the heir to the Austria-

Hungarian crown, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in Sarajevo sparked the outbreak of the war. I

argue that World War I was caused by extreme militarism, nationalism, and the assassination of

Archduke Franz Ferdinand. I will prove this by analyzing the bringing up of arms in European

nations, discussing European citizens need for the supremacy of their nation, and world leader’s

reactions to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

First, I will discuss the impact militarism had on the start of World War I. Militarism is

defined as the building up and emphasis of a nation’s arms. According to alphahistory.com,

“Alfred Vagts, a German historian who served in World War I, defined militarism as the…

domination of the military man over the civilian, an undue preponderance of military demands,

an emphasis on military considerations. Militarism was a significant force in several European

nations in the years prior to World War I. Their governments were strongly influenced, if not

dominated, by military leaders, their interests and priorities.” At this time war and ensuring

national trade, policy, and pride went hand in hand in the eyes of leaders and citizens. Due to this

belief, nations began spending more money to build up their military, causing other countries to

grow paranoid of an attack. It has been reported that in 1913 Germany spent around $460 million

on their military and Britain spent around $370 million on their military. Militarism directly led
to the cause of World War I because it caused both citizens and leaders to believe that war is the

only answer to their issues.

Next, I will analyze European nations’ sense of nationalism that led to the start of World

War I. Nationalism is defined as extreme loyalty and patriotism to one’s country, which was

overcoming the population of European powers. According to history.com, “Weltpolitik or the

desire for world power status was very popular in Germany. The French desire for revenge over

Alsace and Lorraine was very strong. Britain’s extreme Imperialism and support for the Empire

was very evident.” Nationalism ensured citizens that their country was without blame and

righteous. It also introduced a fear in citizens that rival nations were plotting or scheming.

Nationalism spread quickly because leaders did not stop it but rather encouraged it for the

benefits it would bring to them. The ideas of Nationalism were spread through propaganda,

literature, and entertainment.

Finally, I will examine Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination and how it sparked the

outbreak of World War I. Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was

shot to death by a Serbian nationalist in Bosnia on June 28th, 1914. According to History.com,

“Austria-Hungary, like many in countries around the world, blamed the Serbian government for

the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification for settling the question of Slav

nationalism once and for all.” Peace in Europe had immediately begun to collapse. On July 28th

Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia due to the death of Franz Ferdinand, and the fact that

Serbia did not fully agree on the terms of negotiation. This declaration of war resulted in Russia,

Belgium, France, Britain and Serbia joining forces against Austria Hungary, Germany, and Italy.

World War I had officially begun and would lead to many deaths for years to come.
 In conclusion, tensions were already beginning to rise in Europe even before the start of

World War I. The Great War was mainly caused by militarism, nationalism, and the death of

Franz Ferdinand. These three causes sent shock waves through Europe in their own respective

ways. The bringing up of arms and glorification of military led to paranoia among European

citizens and leaders. Nationalism and pride in one’s nation led to a tangle of alliances being

formed. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand caused countries to begin declaring war.