Example research essay topic: The Reason For Start Of First World War - 931 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

I Feel that there many reasons for the start of the First World War and not just one, I think its a bit more complicated than that. I have put them into six categories but could be split into more if necessary. All the categories concern the main powers of Europe. The war was mainly started by feuds between the powers.

There are alliances between the powers, The Triple Alliance, which contained: Germany, Austria and Italy. The Triple Entente, which contained: Great Britain, Russia and France. The trigger to the war I feel was the Franz Ferdinand incident. Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian-Hungry throne, on the 28 th of June 1914 was attempted to be assassinated. The incident happened when a grenade hit his car, injuring an officer.

Later on that day on his way to visit the officer in hospital, his driver took a wrong tern straight past Principe of the Black Hand movement, who killed the Archduke and his wife. The next event in the chain was that because the Serbs want there people freed they cause up roar, as they are a Nationalist group. Serbia was commanding that they handed over Bosnia. Austria-Hungry after the Archduke being killed feel that they have to go to war with Serbia, but dont want to as they know that if they do Russia will get involved, as there so many Slavs in Russia. Austria-Hungry go to Germany to ask for there backing in the war. On the 23 rd of July, knowing that they will have Germany's backing, send a list of demands to Serbia knowing it will be turned down.

On the 28 th July the Keizer gives his full backing to the war and gives orders to attack straight away. On the 1 st of August; Germany decides to go to war with Russia, as the Triple Alliance had required of them. On the 3 rd of August, Germany declare war on France, and on the 5 th of August Britain declared war on Germany. The First World War had started.

This was not really the only reasons why France and Britain wanted to go to war with Germany, there are quite a few reason why. The Main reason why was the Franco-Prussian war. In July 1870, France declared war on Prussia in part over a disagreement about a Prussian prince accepting the crown of Spain. By September 1870, a French army had been defeated, Emperor Napoleon III captured at Sedan, France declared a republic, and Paris under siege. In January 1871, Wilhelm I of Prussia was crowned Kaiser Wilhelm I of a unified Germany at Versailles, Paris fell, and France surrendered, losing Alsace and Lorraine and forced to pay huge compensation.

Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Prussia since 1862, and now Germany, wanted to keep France isolated to prevent the recovery of Alsace and Lorraine. The reasons why Britain went to war with Germany were their Nation Rivalry, their Industrial Rivalry and there Imperial Rivalry. Wilhelm II was related to Queen Victoria, he was her nephew so he used to visit England a lot as a child. Britain and Germany were the chief rivals at sea. Under Admiral Tirpitz, State Secretary of the Imperial Naval Office from 1897, a long-term shipbuilding programme began. The German Navy Law of 1898 increased the German battleships from nine cruisers to twelve.

In 1900 Germany passed a Navy Law which doubled the German battle fleet. In the meantime, Britain produced her first Dreadnought (literally, the word means fear nothing). Dreadnoughts were large, fast and heavily armed battleships with 12 inch guns. They set a new standard in naval armaments and rendered all previous battleships obsolete. The naval race became intense.

Between 1909 and 1911 Germany built nine Dreadnoughts while Britain completed 18 Dreadnoughts. In 1913, Germany widened the Kiel Canal to allow the easy passage of her Dreadnoughts from the Baltic to the North Sea while Britain built new naval bases for the Dreadnoughts in northern Scotland. Colonial rivalry was also a cause of the First World War. In Africa, all the European powers except Austria and Russia had colonies there. Thus there were many clashes among France, Britain, Germany and Italy. For example, France rivalled with Italy over Tunis and with Germany over Morocco.

Italy turned to Germany and Austria when she lost Tunis to France in 1881. Russia and Britain could patch up their differences and form an entente in 1907 as a result of their fear of Germany's growth in the Balkans. Russia, Britain and France could become friends after 1907 Mainly because of Germany. Germany found that, without a navy, she could not send much military help to the Dutch. Shortly after the event, Admiral von Tirpitz, the German Minister of Marine, proclaimed the need of a strong navy. From 1898 onwards, Germany built more battleships causing even more rivalry between Germany and Britain.

The six categories I put all the reasons in are: The short term causes, the alliance system, naval rivalry, colonial rivalry, the Balkans and the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. I have used all categories in the essay and explained them to there fullest. I feel personally that the main reason for the war itself was actualy the rivalry between all the powers of Europe and I tink the thing that triggered the war off, was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungry. I feel that if the war did not start then it would of started another time and was bound to happen no matter the outcome of the assassination attempt.

Research essay sample on The Reason For Start Of First World War