Cause Of The Great War Essay

Causes of the Great War The Great War, also known as World War I, was an event in Europe that caused ten million deaths over the course of four years. It is one of the worst wars in history. There are many contributing factors that caused the ‘’War to End All Wars’’. First, the Eastern and German questions remained unanswered. Second, the July Crisis of 1914, and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife. And third, there was a long lasting rivalry between the Great Powers. The Eastern Question mostly concerned the Balkans and its unsteadiness during the 19th and early 20th century. Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Serbia all had long-standing problems during this time. Russia wanted to increase their influence and expand in the …show more content…
After the unification of Germany in 1870, competitive states were created. No one knew for sure who would run the newfound country. The increasing population in Germany did not match its economic and demographic growth. Between 1870 and 1914, Germany’s population increased from 40 to 65 million people. Economically, Germany strived, even more so than France and Britain. Germany also built an outstanding navy and army. The Triple Entente, which consisted of Britain, France, and Russia, feared Germany and their military capabilities. Germany, on the other hand, feared encirclement of the Triple …show more content…
Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia in order to stop them from mobilizing, but they rejected. Prior to the war in 1905, Germany had made a war plan called the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan was Germany’s plan to attack France after Russia mobilized near the German border. On August 1st, Germany declared war on Russia. On August 3rd, Germany declared war on France and invaded them through Belgium. After the execution of the Schlieffen Plan, Britain had declared war on Germany, and thus, World War One had