What Are The Causes Of World War 1 Essay

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Recommended: Impact of imperialism on world war one

Alice Trout
Mr. Denny
World History
30 March 2016
The Great War World War 1, also known as the Great War, was a European conflict that gradually developed into a global war, involving many countries. World War 1 began in 1914 and ended in 1919. However, within only four years of the war, major advances in technology would eventually change the nature of war (National Geographic Documentary). The causes of World War 1 complex, it was fought by many nations around the world, and it was a significant event that changed the course of human history. As tensions in Europe grew, it turned into the “powder keg” that could cause a world war to erupt. The Great War occurred due to many reasons. One of the underlying causes of World War 1 (WW1) was nationalism, an extreme feeling of loyalty and devotion and a sense of superiority over other nations. Nationalism fueled many conflicts between countries and grew stronger in Germany. Another contributing factor to WW1 was imperialism, the process of conquering new territories to …show more content…

The document was made by leaders of the strongest Allied Powers which were David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, and Woodrow Wilson. The leaders were divided in their opinions on Germany’s punishment. Wilson wanted “peace without victory”, to avoid revenge in the future, Clemenceau wanted to crush the Germans so they could not invade France again, while Lloyd remained neutral and helped work out many of the compromises in the treaty. Article 231 of the treaty forced Germany to accept the blame for starting the war, pay over 33 billion dollars in reparations, reduce its military forces, and give away its territories. The burden of this debt along with the destruction brought on by the war devastated Germany. The Treaty of Versailles severely punished Germany and provided the motivation for the second World War only twenty years later, and led to Hitler’s rise in

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