World War I: Cause and Effect

"War is the unfolding of miscalculations." - Barbara Tuchman

The causes of World War I included a cultivating sense of nationalism leading to an arms race between Europe's paramount powers, all trying to establish superiority above others; militarism inaugurated to predominate across the globe. As the new kids on the block, Germany pursued the same imperialism as nations like France and Britain, with colonies stretching so far and wide that England was dubbed "the Empire on which the sun never sets." The war led to 8.5 million fatalities and the economic effects would be felt for years to come.

In the year 1914, World War 1 had erupted and several countries were tangled in the mess, however not all entered at a uniform time. Central Power, The Allies, and the Neutral Nations were what made up the three sides to the war. The Central Power encompassed Germany and Austria-Hungary, and was later fused by Bulgaria as well as the Ottoman Empire who was impartial at first then later joined. Then there was Great Britain, Russia, Belgium, Serbia, Ireland, Montenegro, and France – which consisted of The Allies. Later Portugal, Romania, Italy, and Greece joined after leaving the Neutral Nations. The Neutral Nations were consisted of Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Albania.

World War 1 had numerous triggers for its explosion. Militarism was one of the triggers that caused World War 1. The extolment of one country’s military is what defined militarism. Many countries had this pugnaciousness idea because they imagined of war being glorious. Having people applaud them as they marched down the streets while frolicking their trumpets along with the rest of the military is what the young men fancied of. Soon en...

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...s and Allies had played a part in this. In Germany, people learned to sing a hatred song against the British. The Allies jested Germany’s annexation of Belgium as a barbaric act. The tales of atrocities, which were horrific acts against innocuous people, was what The British and French press circulated on. The lack of World War 1 not having any virtuous effects gives reasoning as to war not being a good thing.

8.5 million people were dead at the end of World War 1. Twofold of the number were wounded, and several had to live with being handicapped for life. Several regions were threatened by scarcity. By 1918, what made it even shoddier was the destruction left by a deadly epidemic of influenza. As the flu swept around the world, it killed more than 20 million people in just a matter of a few months. Several unscrupulous things were brought from World War 1.