DEFINED AND EXPLAINED HOW ITS CONTRIBUTED TO

WW1

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial

acquisition or by the establishment of economic and

political hegemony over other nations.

Imperialism was one of the causes in World War One.

One of the factors that contributed to the increase of

challenge in Europe was imperialism. Great Britain,

Germany and France needed foreign markets after the

increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial

Revolution. These countries were competitive for

economic expansion in Africa. Although Britain and

France resolved their differences in Africa, several crises

foreshadowing the war involved the clash of Germany

against Britain and France in North Africa. In the Middle

East, the crumbling Ottoman Empire was alluring to

Austria-Hungary, the Balkans and Russia..

Nationalism

The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently

rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than

international goals.

At the settlement of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the

principle of nationalism was ignored in favor of preserving the

peace. Germany and Italy were left as divided states, but

strong nationalist movements and revolutions led to the union

of Italy in 1861 and that of Germany in 1871. Another result of

the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 was that France was left

furious over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, and

Revanche was a major goal of the French. Nationalism posed

a problem for Austria-Hungary and the Balkans, areas

comprised of many conflicting national groups. The ardent

Panslavism of Serbia and Russia's willingness to support its

Slavic brother conflicted with Austria-Hungary's

Pangermanism.

Militarism

Predominance of the armed forces in the administration or policy of the state.

After the Franco-Prussian war all the European nations adopted the German plan for universal military draft. Therefore by 1914 there were just about three and a half million men in the standing armies and millions more in the trained reserves.

Each nation, of course, claimed that it’s planning were only for defensive purposes. Statesmen, too, were less willing to negotiate in good faith as long as they felt they had some military might back of them. But possibly the most dangerous effect was the frame of mind this building up of weapons developed. Militarism tends to converse an attitude of approval of war as an elevating, ennobling occupation. In each country the aim was carefully to prepare the population, physically and mentally, for the possibility of war.

As a result, when Serbia angered Austria, Austria determined to punish Serbia, but then Russia backed Serbia, so apparently threatening Austria. Austria wanted German support, while Russia, in turn, invoked French aid, and finally Great Britain came to the support of France. The wheels were turning and the world slipped mindlessly into war, without regard to the awful consequences

Balance of Power

Distribution of power in which no single nation is

able to dominate or interfere with others

This expression goes back to the Cold War days

when the Soviet Union and USA had enough

missiles pointed at each other to destroy the world

many times over. The fact that one power never

had a distinct and obvious advantage over the

other meant that the balance of power tipped

neither one way nor the other but

remained...balanced. Now in a corporate

environment, where there are many more men in

positions of high authority, the balance of power is

firmly with the men.

Resources

http://www.firstworldwar.com/origins/cau

ses.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/ww1/cause

s.html

http://www.thecorner.org/hist/wwi/military

.htm