Position:Home>History> How did World War One begin?

There were a number of reasons behind WWI, dating back to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 where the agressors, France, were soundly beaten by the Prussians and lost the profitable coal and steel region of Alsace-Lorraine which left them spoiling for another fight!.

The victory of Prussia led to the unification of other northern european states and principalities (of which Prussia was the largest) and created Germany!. The chancellor of this new country, Otto von Bismarck, formed an alliance with it's neighbour Austro-Hungary which made the French extremely nervous!. Therefore to counteract it, the French made a treaty with Russia and thus surrounded the central powers!. Another alliance with Russia was made by Serbia who was not happy with Austro-Hungary's influence on it and the surrounding Balkan states!.

The French were desperate to draw into this tangle of treaties the one major power of the age, Great Britain!. Britain, however, preferred to stay in "splendid isolation" but it did offer the French a loosely worded statement that it would be "morally obliged" to support them if they were attacked!. The only real treaty it had was with Belgium whereby Britain had guaranteed Belgium's neutrality for the past 75 years!.
It was only when Germany began to try and expand it's Empire that Britain began to take notice!. It also began to build German versions of the Royal Navy "Dreadnoughts" and any threat to the RN was not to be stomached!.

Then on June 28th 1914, the heir to the Austrian throne Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Principe, a member of the Black Hand Group a Serbian nationlist movement and the fuse was lit!.

Austro-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum to hand over all conspiritors believing the Serbian government was behind the plot and thus being able to finally stamp it's authority on Serbia!. A-H called on Germany's support if the Russians got involved and Germany readily agreed!. The Serbs called on their treaty with Russia and Russia began to mobilise against A-H and Germany and consequently France found itself at war with them too as directed by their alliance with Russia!.
In an effort to knock France out of the war early so not to be fighting on 2 fronts, Germany tried to advance on Paris quickly, avoiding the French defences by invading Belgium!.
Because of this violation of neutrality this brought Britain into the conflict along with a number of it's colonies including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India!.
Turkey and the Ottoman Empire had secretly signed an alliance with Germany 2 days before Britain entered the war justifying it
by citing Germany's early victories!. Being on the winning side would provide the opportunity to forge a swift victory over neighbouring enemies and avoid the imminent disintegration of the Ottoman Empire!.
This also encouraged Romania and Bulgaria to join alongside the central powers to see what either could gain from land grabs in the Balkans!. Turkey declared their intentions when they attacked Russian ports in the Black Sea in October 1914!.
Now the world was at war!.

Except for the US!. The reasons given for the US entry into WWI are the sinking of the American passenger liner the Lusitania by a German U-Boat and the interception (or concoction) of the Zimmerman telegram containing the Kaisers support for Mexico should they attack/invade the US border region!.
However, the main reason is that President Wilson believed it would be advantageous to the US to play a part in European politics after the war and the only way they would have any influence would be having a seat at a future peace table, which would require troops on the ground!.
So when word reached the White House that a rapidly sinking Germany had made quiet, tentative approaches to Britain for a possible armistice in late 1917, Wilson immeadiately declared the US intention of siding with Britain (the now more likely victors) and hastily sent troops to Europe and thus guaranteed a strong hand in the final negotiations!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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After Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, the Austro-Hungarian Empire demanded that Serbia allow Austrian troops to occupy it to supposedly prevent more attacks by anti-Imperial groups!. Serbia of course said no, and so Austria-Hungary invaded her!. Russia had a treaty with Serbia that obligated her to declare war on Austria-Hungary if Serbia was attacked!.
Germany had an alliance with Austria-Hungary that obligated her to declare war on Russia if Austria-Hungary was attacked!. Germany also declared war on France at the same time, since their war plans called for a two-front war, and anyways, France had an alliance with Russia to declare war on Germany if it attacked Russia!.
Germany attacked Belgium, since it was in the way of their attack on France, and since England had an alliance with Begium they also declared war on Germany!.
Later, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) joined with the Germans and the Austro-Hungarians in the hopes of expanding their holdings in the Middle East and the Caucasus!.
Bulgaria also jumped into the war to help carve up Serbia!.
Rumania joined the Russians but timed their entry badly and got defeated in a short time!.
Italy waited for a couple of years to see who looked like they were going to win and then joined up with France and England!.
The USA didn't declare war til 1917 (the war started in 1914) and didn't enter combat until 1918!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Alliances and ties between the countries led to threats back and forth and it escalated!. Eventually the U!.S!. entered the war with the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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For waterWww@QuestionHome@Com

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