Causes Of World War 1 Dbq

World War I is oftentimes seen as a horrific incident within mankind’s history. In fact, this conflict, that involved many global superpowers, is often seen as a major event that compromised the lives of millions of individuals. Document a shows that the three to four years of conflict led to famine, sickness, and death that was greater than the thirty years war. Furthermore, throughout the early 20th century, the exploitation of raw materials from colonies was becoming increasingly important, however, many of these nations needed to quickly absorb territories. Document Q makes it clear that concerns over national security led to many changes throughout this era that led to World War I. While the First World War had many underlying causes, …show more content…
Document B is a primary source written by French writer Emile Zola in 1891. Zola points put how a strong military presence has empirically stabilized countries and he outlined the consequences that arise when individual countries choose to either disarm themselves or do not advance their military services, then they are unable to prosper. Zola’s research and conclusions were widely believed and accepted by the general public and government, in fact, document l, an excerpt from the German Chancellor, Prince Bernhard, shows how even the royal family shared the belief that a strong military and navy were necessary for economic and political prosperity. Additionally, document k outlines the widespread adoption of this ideology. The document features a bar graph which was originally posted by The London Times History of the World and adapted by Richard Ovary, it highlights the sudden and rampant increase in the spending on armaments, throughout Europe, from the 1890’s to the 1914’s. When looking back on both documents b and l, which were both published during the 1890’s, it is clear that militarism had a direct impact in leading to the First World War. One example of the link between militarism and the beginning of World War I can be observed in document c, a primary source written by a French citizen, the author argues that with the increase in the military, many individuals wanted to quickly enter a war, …show more content…
In document j, a primary source, Norman Rich argues that countries whom embraced nationalism fostered a feeling of superiority that is appealing to many individuals. Rich states that many of these nationalist countries oftentimes engage in programs of massive indoctrination, compulsory military service, and the manipulation of the press through propaganda. This is a direct link to the First World War because many of these countries did not want to lose control of their colonies, thus, prioritizing the control of ethnic groups and colonies over the possibility for war. In fact, document p, a map of colonial possessions in the spring of 1914, showcased the vast amount of territory many countries possessed during the height of the war. Document m, which features quotes from Kaiser Wilhelm I, highlights how countries, such as Austria Hungary and Germany, would be even willing to incite war in foreign nations, in order to rule over ethnic groups and colonies. Furthermore, the vast manipulation of these imperialist countries can observed in General von Moltke’s statement that there were a need, to popularize the engagement of Germany in war, through the press. One specific example of this can be seen in document o, a source of a propaganda cartoon published in 1917, it shows the vast manipulation conducted by Britain and its widespread enforcement of imperialism during the