Alexander CekalaWhy did World War I begin?
People tend to know in simplistic terms why both World War I and World War II started, but often they do not seem to realise just how complex the situations were at those times.
In the case of World War I most people know that assassination of Franz Ferdinand set of the war, but they don't realise all the factors that surround this.
The Balance of Power System:
Prior to the war the countries of Europe were arrayed in sophisticated systems of alliance. These systems were so closely balanced that the weakening of one country fatally weakened the entire alliance. This meant that if even once country was attacked then the two alliances effectively had to declare war on one another.
The Rigidity of War Plans:
Two countries war plans left little room to adapt to specific circumstances. The German Schlieffen Plan was designed such that France had to be rapidly invaded for them to stand a chance in a two front war against France and Russia. This meant that if Germany declared war on Russia it had to first invade Russia.
The Russian plan was also rigid as it involved a slow mobilisation. This meant that the army had to decide to mobilise before a conflict began or it would be too late. But this mobilisation itself could infact set off a war.
Austria-Hungaries declaration of war:
This powderkeg was then indeed exploded by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which as previously suggested, started a Europe wide conflict for a number of reasons.
The commonness of war at the time:
There is also one more factor that has to be realised and that is that war between European powers was actually much more common in the early 1900's. A war between the Western European powers was much less serious then it would be today.
Even this account is very much simplified and there are a huge number of causes of World War I, with a causal chain starting many years before the actual war.
There is never one simple cause of a war, although sometimes it is easy to think so,
Adam
In the case of World War I most people know that assassination of Franz Ferdinand set of the war, but they don't realise all the factors that surround this.
The Balance of Power System:
Prior to the war the countries of Europe were arrayed in sophisticated systems of alliance. These systems were so closely balanced that the weakening of one country fatally weakened the entire alliance. This meant that if even once country was attacked then the two alliances effectively had to declare war on one another.
The Rigidity of War Plans:
Two countries war plans left little room to adapt to specific circumstances. The German Schlieffen Plan was designed such that France had to be rapidly invaded for them to stand a chance in a two front war against France and Russia. This meant that if Germany declared war on Russia it had to first invade Russia.
The Russian plan was also rigid as it involved a slow mobilisation. This meant that the army had to decide to mobilise before a conflict began or it would be too late. But this mobilisation itself could infact set off a war.
Austria-Hungaries declaration of war:
This powderkeg was then indeed exploded by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which as previously suggested, started a Europe wide conflict for a number of reasons.
The commonness of war at the time:
There is also one more factor that has to be realised and that is that war between European powers was actually much more common in the early 1900's. A war between the Western European powers was much less serious then it would be today.
Even this account is very much simplified and there are a huge number of causes of World War I, with a causal chain starting many years before the actual war.
There is never one simple cause of a war, although sometimes it is easy to think so,
Adam
Adam
Adam
What was the one you were thinking of?
Adam
ITs alll BULLSHIT
it never even happened.
So you can all wake up from la la land
and just forget World War I
and chug some beer and get drunk as hell.
World WAr I aint important.
it's fur a skool project.
thnx sweeties. lolz
i really really need some damn help pplz
I LIKE TO SMELL OTHER PEOPLES SHOES.
I AM WEIRD
=]