The Short Term Origins of World War I

Abstract

Over the course of the beginning of the 20th century, it seems that the short terms origins of the First World War were caused by the mutual fear which existed between the opposing blocks of Europe. On the one hand, Austria-Hungary and Germany seem to have isolated themselves by French antagonism because of the Franco-Prussian War and British antagonism because of the Naval Race and Russia because of the conflicting spheres of influence in the Balkans between Russia and Austria-Hungary. As time went by, the Western powers became more intent on war rather than loosing face. After the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908, Russia was determined to no be humiliated again while France was supplying money to Russia for the building of a railway. Germany and Austria-Hungary therefore felt threatened as they realized they were encircled by hostile powers and that they would be forced to fight a war on two fronts. This incited Germany to opt for an increase in army expenditures in 1912 when the second Moroccan Crisis demonstrated the solidity of the Triple Entente. Germany army expansion subsequently triggered the army expansion of the other nations. By 1914, Germany believed that war was inevitable and that a preventive war was necessary to weaken Germany’s enemies into accepting Germany’s place as a world power. Therefore, when the Archduke was assassinated, the nations of Europe were not reluctant to go to war.