Causes of World War I
Ever wonder why countries would go to war on such a massive scale? Four main factors pushed nations toward this devastating conflict. Nationalism made countries extremely proud of their heritage and convinced they were better than others, creating dangerous tensions between nations.
While European powers were busy claiming colonies around the world (imperialism), they competed fiercely for resources and territory. This competition for global influence made countries aggressive and suspicious of one another.
At the same time, nations built up huge armies and stockpiled weapons (militarism) to show their strength, creating a dangerous arms race. Countries also formed complicated alliance systems for protection, but these alliances actually made the war much bigger when conflict finally erupted.
Did you know? The alliance system was like a chain reaction waiting to happen. When one country declared war, their allies were obligated to join in, quickly turning a small conflict into a global war.
