What Was The Main Causes Of World War 1 Essay

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Nationalism was the main cause of World War 1. Without nationalism the system of alliances throughout Europe would not have been in effect. If the system of alliances had not been in effect then all of Europe would have avoided war. Austria declared war on Serbia which lead to the events of other countries slowly declaring war on each other because of how the system of alliances worked. A second form of nationalism lied within the Balkans. Slavic Serbs were looking to gain independence and freedom from the Austrian government. To begin, the system of alliances made throughout Europe was a major cause that started World War 1. Before the start of World War 1, a Serbian terrorist group had murdered the Prince and Princess of Austria. The Austrian government believed that the Serbian government played a role in aiding the assassins in the murder of the Prince and Princess. Not too long after, Austria had declared war on Serbia for this act. Austria was showing a …show more content…

The Slavic people believed that they should be their own nation and be free from the grip that the Austrian government had on them. Pan-Slavism would begin, which is the thought that the Slavic people should have their own nation. With the start of Pan-Slavism, the push for breaking free of the Austrians was in full force. This would lead to Serbians joining radical nationalist groups such as the ‘Black Hand”. The ‘Black Hand’ was hoping to push away Austria from the Balkans and form a ‘Greater Serbia’, which was a place where all Slavic people could prosper. The push of Pan-Slavic nationalism would lead to the assassination of the Prince and Princess of Austria. With Austria believing that the Serbian government played a role in the assassination, Austria declared war on Serbia. The assassination of the Prince and Princess by the ‘Black Hand’ was a direct cause of the beginning of World War

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