World War I

Alliances
Alliances are an agreement made between two or more countries to help each other out when help is
needed. The alliance system was a network of treaties, agreements and ententes that were negotiated and
signed prior to 1914. These alliances were intended to promote peace by creating powerful combinations
that no one would dare to attack. The triple alliance formed by Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary
formed the basics of the central powers, the dominate alliance bloc in central Europe. The well planned
alliances soon drew the great powers deeper into conflict.
Nationalism
Nationalism is a strong feeling of pride in and devotion to ones country. Aggressive nationalism was a
significant cause of WWI. Nationalism was strong in Germany and France. In Europe, Russia sponsored
Pan-Slavism; it held that all Slavic peoples shared a common nationality. Russia felt they had a duty to
lead and defend all Slavs. Austria-Hungary feared rising nationalism, they worried that nationalism might
encourage rebellion.
Imperialism
Imperialism is when a country takes over new lands or countries. By the 1900s, the British Empire
extended over five continents and France had control of large areas of Africa. Since imperialism began to
grow, countries needed new markets. The amount of land owned by the Britain and France increased the
rivalry with Germany. By 1914, France, Italy, England, Belgium, and Germany were busy carving up the
rest of the globe. All this imperialism caused conflicts, not only between people but also between
European nations.
Militarism
Militarism is the glorification of the military. The rise of militarism helped to feed the arms race. In the
19th and 20th century, military forces were considered a manifestation of national and imperial strength.
Strong navies and armies were needed to defend homelands and protect imperial and trade interests
aboard. Governments and leaders who failed to maintain their armies and navies were considered weak or
incompetent. Europeans would spend enormous amounts of money to build up their armies for the next
conflict. Influenced by nationalism, European governments ramped up military spending.