The oldest treaty invoked as a part of the cause of WWI was the treaty of London in 1839, which secured Belgian independence and perpetual neutrality. The five of the biggest nations involved at the outset of WWI: England, France, Germany, Prussia, and Russia signed treaty of London. The British pursued the treaty in order to ensure that France would not annex Belgium, as well as to create a neutral buffer between the British Isles and Germany. In addition to the treaty of London in 1839, there were other treaties, which reaffirmed the signatories’ commitment to upholding Belgium’s neutrality. In the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, Prussia and France each signed separate treaties with the British ensuring the preservation of Belgium's neutrality. The British, under Gladstone, ratified each treaty with a statement that if one side violated Belgian neutrality, Britain would side against the aggressor to defend Belgium (Tuchman, 22).
In addition to the treaty of London, numerous other treaties and alliances help explain …show more content…
While the assassination was a spark, the environment was rich with fuel ready to ignite a major war. The strategic factors that best explain the outbreak of WWI are the concepts of fear, honor, and interests as described by Thucydides. Fear of the intentions of other nations led to an arms race and the perceived need to be the aggressor. Honor drove nationalistic fervor and forced alliances to join in conflict expanding the scope and cost of the war. Finally, military interests caused leaders to forego what was best for their country and execute war plans when other options existed. The lessons of the outbreak of WWI show that war is an inherently human endeavor rife with pitfalls and susceptible to biases. Strategic leaders must be aware of these lessons and learn from the mistakes of the past to prevent them from being the failures of the
In addition to the treaty of London, numerous other treaties and alliances help explain …show more content…
While the assassination was a spark, the environment was rich with fuel ready to ignite a major war. The strategic factors that best explain the outbreak of WWI are the concepts of fear, honor, and interests as described by Thucydides. Fear of the intentions of other nations led to an arms race and the perceived need to be the aggressor. Honor drove nationalistic fervor and forced alliances to join in conflict expanding the scope and cost of the war. Finally, military interests caused leaders to forego what was best for their country and execute war plans when other options existed. The lessons of the outbreak of WWI show that war is an inherently human endeavor rife with pitfalls and susceptible to biases. Strategic leaders must be aware of these lessons and learn from the mistakes of the past to prevent them from being the failures of the