World War One The Predictable Hurdling Towards Open...

World War 1: The Predictable Hurdling Towards Open Continental Conflict World War 1 was one of the most brutal wars of the 20th century. Commonly referred to as The Great War, it saw the adoption of trench warfare lasting between 1914 until 1918. While the scale of the casualties and damage to the European Theatre was unlike any wars held previously, the political, social and economic circumstances of the continent was a powder keg that was ready to ignite at any moment. The causes of the War to End All Wars vary but are generally narrowed down to militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism in Europe. These were the main causes that made World War 1 a predictable outcome in the early 20th century. World War I was not like the Second World War were there was a single belligerent pushing others to take a military stand. It also did not have the moral vindication of resisting a tyrant. Rather, it was a delicate but toxic balance of structural forces created a dry tinder that was lit by the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. That event precipitated the July 1914 Crisis, which saw the major European powers hurdle towards open conflict. World War 1 was the first war to be labelled a modern war because of the introduction of new technologies like new machine guns, submarines, tanks and gases. The discussion begins with an examination of militarism in Europe at the turn of the 20th century. Militarism is defined as the policy of building up or