Cause of the First World War - Essay Example

The Causes of World War I World War I began on July 28, 1914. When was over, the war involved more than 100 countries around the globe to various degrees of involvement. Because of its wide spread geographically and politically, the cause of the war has remained an area of conjecture. Looking for answers, the cause of the war is generally attributed to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo.1 However, there were a number of factors that had been put in place well before this death that had significant impact on the way in which this seemingly minor event became blown into a full-fledged global conflict. Britain and France had recently established treaties that provided for a more efficient use of each country’s navies. Other treaties between England and Belgium securing protection for the latter and France and Russia working toward more harmonious relations had also been established by 1911.2 To gain a true understanding of what caused the Great War, as it was known by its contemporaries, it is necessary to understand some of these alliances particularly in light of the events occurring from 1911 forward which finally brought the world to war. Much of the conflict leading to the Great War can be traced back to Morocco. A stalemate conflict between Germany and France regarding free trade in Morocco in 1905 significantly contributed to the escalation of tension throughout the Eurasian countries as Germany began to threaten violence and the other nations began to recognize signs of serious aggression.3 Armed conflict was avoided when Germany was forced, by the bulking of other nations, to abandon imperialistic intentions and leave Morocco untouched. However, in 1911, an internal issue in Morocco sent that government appealing to France for help. The appeal to France, whom Germany had already fought with earlier, resulted in another, more serious, stand-off. Germany felt that France, by sending an army to Morocco, had violated earlier agreements. Germany’s aggressive military response to France’s presence in Morocco publicly embarrassed France’s more diplomatic government, quickly causing it to be replaced with a more hostile and aggressive government.4 The standoff was settled by allowing France to maintain a protectorate over Morocco in exchange for providing German colonies with land access to the Congo in Africa, thereby providing them with greater trade opportunities. Stirred by the events in Morocco, small wars began to break out between those nations in and around the Mediterranean, the most significant of which being that which occurred between the Ottoman Empire and Serbia.5 These two groups had been in conflict off and on for generations. Encouraged by the hostilities taking place by stronger nations, the Serbians joined forces with other Balkan Nations to push the Ottoman Empire to the brink of extinction.6 In this war, Germany supported the Turks and France supported Serbia, which would have significance in establishing the importance of the Archduke’s assassination as the start of World War I. When the Turks lost their war, Serbia moved up the Albanian coast into a position which angered Austria-Hungary, a nation itself struggling with disintegrating factions. Major war between these nations was averted when the Russian-backed Serbia chose to leave the Albanian coast. At the same time, Germany defined its treaty with Austria-Hungary to the rest of the world as purely defensive in a move that also caused Austria-Hungary to back down.7 Meanwhile, Russia was also growing more hostile toward Germany as a result of German economic activities that were having an impact on Russia’s bottom line. Into this atmosphere, in 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand decided to make a tour of Sarajevo with only limited security. “A devoutly religious man, the Archduke responded to the danger of his visit with the remark that all was in the hands of God.”8 Archduke Ferdinand was, by this time, the heir apparent to the Austria-Hungarian throne. “Considered a prideful and mistrusting man, and not overly cultured, and with a short temper, Franz Ferdinand lacked the necessary charisma to guarantee popularity.”9 These personality traits perhaps explain some of his lack of wisdom in entering Sarajevo under the conditions he did. Not merely a conflict of countries, Franz Ferdinand himself was a figure of controversy and outrage in that his political views had many ill at ease. According to reports, Ferdinand was considering several different ways of reorganizing his country. His ideas were considered a threat to the status quo.10 Serbia itself was under an Austrian protectorate, giving Ferdinand the right to oversee military operations in that country, a right he chose to exercise in the summer of 1914. Ferdinand’s visit, and the protections he refused to have taken to ensure his safety, presented the opportunity needed for an organization called the ‘Black Hand’, comprised of Serbian youth without the sanction of the Serbian government, to execute the Archduke. Because the assassins were Serbian and the Archduke Austrian, the incident was used as an excuse to renew hostilities between Austria and Serbia, with many Serbs in Bosnia and Sarajevo being injured or killed by Austrian supporters in the days following the assassination.11 Germany agreed with Austria that the Serbs needed to be punished, assuming Russia would support this decision but without defining what form that punishment should take. When Austria issued an ultimatum to Serbia to relinquish sovereignty or go to war, it took everyone, including Germany, by surprise.12 Russia was bound by treaty to support Serbia and France was bound by treaty to support Russia, both forced, by Austrian actions, to take a stance against Germany in its unconditioned sanction of Austria’s reprimand. Britain attempted to remain neutral in the growing friction and Germany was caught in indecision. On July 28, 1914, Austria officially declared war on Serbia, beginning the inevitable slide into full-scale global war. With Austria’s declaration, Russia was forced to declare war on Austria and Germany, its political ally that was sworn to fight in defense of Austria. To support Russia and in keeping with its treaty, France also began mobilizing for war. This action forced Germany to declare war on two fronts – Russia and France – while also attempting to negotiate neutral but occupational relations with Belgium, which had already established protectorate treaties with England. Germany’s failure to negotiate passage through Belgium and its subsequent invasion of Belgium as the quickest means of attacking France forced England into the war by August 4, 1914. “In London, crowds sang ‘God Save the King’ and ‘Rule Britannia.’ They cheered the sight of any man in military uniform.”13 This idealistic and exaggeratedly optimistic view of war infected young men throughout the various countries and would contribute to widespread disillusionment and horror as the war unfolded and engulfed the world. This war was fought around the world in various locations throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, China and the Pacific Islands. Much of the war in the west took place in France and Belgium with the most deadly battles fought at the Somme and Verdun. On single day in Verdun, July 1, 1916, the British, occupying the region along the Somme River from Gommecourt south to Maricourt, lost approximately 58,000 fighting men wounded or killed.14 Because of the large number of troops in the area, the different armies were forced to entrench in their lines and attempt to bomb each other out of their holes on either side. Reverend Selwyn Sharp described the miserable environment as autumn began to set in. “I seem to have been on horseback ever since I got back here – it is the only means of progress as the mud is unspeakable; up by the guns it is simply terrific – and not infrequently a man has to be pulled out – it is feet deep. The rain and wind are incessant. One gets wet through and tired out every day, and yet somehow one does not catch cold.”15 It was considered the most horrendous war in history as this entrenched conflict dragged on for nearly two more years. With their economic base crumbling and supporting nations such as Turkey and Austria folding, Germany finally fell, signing an armistice agreement on the morning of November 11, 1918 and ending the war. The outcome of the war was decided in the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on June 28, 1919. The German military machine that terrorized Western and Eastern Europe was all but dismantled. “Germany had to disarm almost completely and was only allowed an army of 100,000 men, was forbidden to own military airplanes, submarines, tanks, heavy artillery, and poison gas and had to demilitarize a 50-kilometer zone on the right bank of the Rhine.”16 Additionally, the German Navy was reduced significantly to only a handful of small vessels. Financial reparations outlined in the treaty were substantial and ambiguous. Germany was forced to effectively sign over a blank check to the countries of Western Europe, an enormous amount that was to be paid-out for several decades highlighting the punitive nature of the agreement.17 This treaty, and the highly punitive nature of it, was then later blamed as a primary mover toward the world’s second great war. References Clare, John. (2008). “The Crises of 1905-1911.” Causes of World War I. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Curme, Phil. (2001). “Swavesey and the Great War Part V – George Norman.” Special Feature. Trenches on the Web. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Duffy, Michael. (August 11, 2001). “Who’s Who: Archduke Franz Ferdinand.” First World War. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Duffy, Michael. (2007). “Battles: The Battle of the Somme, 1916.” First World War. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Lee, Roger A. (February 17, 2008). “Warfare and Conflict between Kosovar Albanians and Serbs since 1912.” The History Guy. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Ryder, A.J. (November 1976). Twentieth Century Germany. Columbia University Press. Smitha, Frank E. (1998). “Slide to War in Europe, 1911 to 1914.” Macrohistory and World Report. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from “The Treaty of Versailles.” (2007). Waterville, Maine: Colby College. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from Read More