Causas de la primera guerra mundial (en ingles)

ON WWI’S CAUSES

Before 1914 the five Great Powers, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia controlled Europe. In 1914 “World War One” broke out. Historians have debated the causes ever since. Although the European Alliances were certainly a cause of WWI, there were many other causes as well. Along with the European Alliances there was Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism,and of course the physical conflicts leading up to the war. All these issues blew up tension, which just needed a push to burst into war. Just a minor sparkle may cause the greatest arson ever. On June 28th 1914, due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne), the first step into one of the most horrifying chaos over the last century, known as the FirstWorld War, was taken. If this matter would have been solved among those involved, death, impoverishment, revolts, betrayals, absolute destruction and humilliation could have been avoided. But men’s hunger for power has always shown to be so great, that it does not consider the amounts of damage it helds, it just focuses on devouring everything on its path. The events which took place among July andAugust that year are known as “Treaty Alliance System” and are usually considered a case of “One thing led to another”.

European Alliances had a major part in beginning the war. After fomenting tension from Nationalism, Imperialism and Militarism, the Powers were worried about being attacked by each other, to counter this, alliances were formed. Germany made a secret alliance withAustria-Hungary in 1879. Three years later Italy joined this Dual Alliance to form the “Triple Alliance” because it was annoyed with France for stopping its plans to colonise North Africa. The rest of the Great Powers became increasingly worried about the strength of the “Triple Alliance”, believing they could be defeated by Germany, Austria and Italy acting together. France and Russia agreed to help eachother if attacked. Britain was worried because it had no allies among the “Powers”, but it was not prepared to ally with Germany after the Boer War, fought between the United Kingdom and the two independent Boer republics, the Orange Free State and the South African Republic. In 1904 France and Britain were prepared to forget their previous quarrels and enter an agreement. Finally in 1907 Francebrought all three nations together, being Russia the third, to form the “Triple Entente”. The Alliance System became definitely a prominent cause of WWI. If Germany had not allied with Austria the war might have been averted. For example if a conflict occurred just between Germany and Great Britain the rest of Europe would not be pulled into it. World War One spread because of the Alliance system,even with the tension build up it would have still been just another European war.

Nationalism was another major long term cause of WWI. Nationalism involved all those who shared a common language, history and culture. It was a strong feeling of support for one's own nation. Nationalists believed that the needs of their nation were more important than the needs of others. Nationalists were soproud of their nation that they wanted it to be the richest and most important, and recognised in that way. Such strong feelings made the countries very aggressive towards other nations and quite unforgiving if their nation had been offended. It was nationalism that encouraged Givrilo Princip to shoot dead the Austrian heir. Nationalism greatly blew up the tension and had an influence in causing WWI.Imperialism took its part on the tension produced among the “Powers”, which led to war. Imperialism is the desire of nations to own colonies and form an empire. European countries had been taking over colonies throughout the world since the fifteenth century. From 1870 on, there was an unwritten competition to take over parts of the world they had earlier considered not worth colonising....