The Causes of World War I - 1090 Words

Millions of soldiers died during the period from 1914 to 1918 when one of the bloodiest and most terrifying wars in history broke out. One by one, starting with Germany, the nations of Europe picked up their weapons and entered a four-year period of annihilation and destruction. Germany was by all means responsible for the conditions that led to the outbreak of World War I due to their hunger for sovereignty which crippled the balance of power in Europe, their unconditional support for Austria, and the German war plan which transformed what should have been a local war into a horrendous world war. After Kaiser Wilhelm II came to the throne, Germany began striving for power, contributing to the eventual breakout of World War I. Imperially,†¦show more content†¦On July 28th, 1914, Austria finally declared war against Serbia, relying solely on Germany’s military power to deter Russia from intervention. If it weren’t for the support of the Germans, Austria would definitely not have risked their chances of being defeated by Russia to declare war, as Austria did recognize its steadily weakening power. Germany created the perfect conditions for war by utilising Austria as an excuse to declare war on the Russians all due to the alliance system and their obligation to protect the Austrians. On August 1st, Germany ordered general mobilization and declared war against Russia. France likewise, ordered general mobilization. The next day, Germany sent troops into Luxembourg and demanded from Belgium free passage for German troops across its neutral territory. On Augus t 3rd, Germany declared war against France. In the night of August 3rd –4th, German forces invaded Belgium. Thereupon, Great Britain, which had no concern with Serbia and no express obligation to fight either for Russia or for France but was expressly committed to defend Belgium. As each country consecutively declared war on their enemy and its allies, World War I had officially begun. Had Germany not made an alliance with Austria-Hungary, the other European powers and Britain would not have a reason to interfere with what had started as a local war between the Austrians and the Serbs, causing the idealShow MoreRelatedThe Cause Of World War I966 Words   |  4 Pages World War I is known today as one of America’s worst wars in history, due to the facts because it was the First World War and well over eight million people died. World War I was between the countries of Germany, United States, Russia, France, and among many others. There are many causes of World War I, both immediate and underlying causes. Immediate causes meaning a specific short-term occurrence that is directly related to the event and essentially what created the event. 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