The Origins of World War I

Paper Summary:

The paper describes the build-up of tensions that led to the outbreak of World War I. The paper discusses how the war took hundreds of thousands of lives and showed the technology of the Industrial Revolution in warfare and killing. The paper notes how, although this war was meant to end all wars, it actually set the foundation for another war in Europe some twenty five years later.

From the Paper:

"Most people believe World War One began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914. However, in reality, the origins of the war were much more complex. In fact, under Kaiser Wilhelm, Germany had become much more aggressive. They did not renew a key treaty with Russia, and because of this, many of their neighbors banded together in case of attack from Berlin. France and Russia allied because they were afraid of Germany's military buildup, and Great Britain had allied itself with these two countries, as well. Germany continued to build up military and naval forces, while Germany was allied with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was quickly disintegrating due to tension and turmoil within."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Badsey, Stephen. "The Western Front and the Birth of Total War." BBC.uk. 3 March 2003. 12 Jan. 2008.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/total_war_01.shtml>
• Bourne, J. M. Who's Who in World War One. London: Routledge, 2001.
• Sheffield, Gary. "The Origins of World War One." BBC.uk. 3 March 2003. 12 Jan. 2008.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/origins_01.shtml>

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