What Were The Underlying Causes of World War 1: DBQ Essay

World War I also known as the Great War began in 1914 until 1918. This was not just an ordinary war, but it was a major conflict that affected everyone whether young or old. Most continents were involved due to the popularity of this War. The Great War began in Europe mainly in Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. More than sixteen million people were killed-both soldiers and residents.1 Many of the soldiers died in trench warfare and the residents died due to famine and diseases. It affected both the rich and the poor. This War mainly originated from political differences. Despite all these consequences, there were many new inventions that were good. Even after the War ended, it still remains a distinct subject of impractical calamity today!

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a politician in Austria-Hungary. In June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie who was his wife went for a state visit to Bosnia, which was annexed by Austria-Hungary. They were gladly welcomed by the Serbians. On June 28, the two went to Sarajevo to inspect some troops. On their way out, some terrorists threw a bomb at their car which they luckily escaped. The following day, however, a young Serbian named Gavrilo Princip went towards their open car and shot both Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie.3 This caused rigidity between Austria-Hungary and Bosnia and caused Austria-Hungary together with Germany, to declare war on Serbia. This was just the beginning of World War I. A few days later Russia came to help protect Serbia, then Germany declared war on Russia in order to help its ally Austria-Hungary, then France declared war on Russia, then Germany declared war on France: and this is how World War I began.4

World War I fought against two major alliances known as the Allied Powers and the Central Powers.5 These alliances were formed secretly among them. They supported each other when called to in a disagreement or Battle. As we have seen above, the countries which were fighting against each had an agreement before they began to assist their fellow countries to fight. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy were known as the Triple Alliance.6 Great Britain, Russia, and France were known as the Triple Entente.7 These defense systems fought against each other when war was proclaimed. During the War, soldiers lived in a trench for protection.8 Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug when soldiers needed a place to live in the midst of war.9 They were not as luxurious as one would come to find them. There were diseases such as trench foot. Trench foot was a medical condition by the exposure of the feet to damp, dirty and cold conditions.11 There was usually a timetable for the soldiers who were living in the trenches. During the War, many men were encouraged to join the army. Some refused due to either their religious beliefs or their personal reasons. These men were known as conscientious objectors, they were about 16,000 of them.12 The Order of the White Feather would encourage them to join the army.13 The Order of the White Feather was a group of young men who would intimidate conscientious objectors.14 They would throw a white feather at him which would symbolize that he was a coward.15

Militarism was one of the causes of World War I. Most of the European countries increased their military budget, caused of the Industrial Revolution.16 In 1915, the Germans used what was called Chlorine gas. This gas was toxic and very dangerous.17 Without protection, it would burn one’s throat, eyes, nose, and lungs gradually suffocating the victim. There were many inventions in Europe such as; machine guns, poisonous gases, flame throwers, zeppelins, planes, pistols, and vehicles. Everyone focused on their own victory and forgot to enforce unity. In 1992 and 1993 these chemical and biological weapons were banned due to the harm they caused to people.18 Only riot-control agents were allowed for domestic riot purposes only. Close to twenty-one million people were injured or died due to some of these dangerous inventions. 19

During the War, there were many battles that took place. There were about fifty-one battles. There was the Battle of the Somme, the First Battle of Marne, the Battle of Verdun, the Battle of Passchendaele, the Gallipoli Campaign, the Spring Offensive, the Battle of Tannerberg, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Jutland, the Send Battle of Marne, The Battle of Cambrai, the Battle of Amiens, the First Day on the Somme, the Battle of Aras, the Battle of Vimmy Ridge, the Battle of Isonzo, the First Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Caporettto, the Hundred Days Offensive, the Brussilov Offensive, the Battle of Messines, the Battle of the Frontiers, The Meuse-Argon Offensive, the Battle of Belleau Wood, the Second Battle of the Aisne, the Battle of Loos, the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, the Gorlice Tarnow Offensive, the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the First Battle of Aisne, the Second Battle of Mausirian Lakes, the First Battle of Mausirian Lakes, the Battle of Cantigny, the Third Battle of the Aisne, the Battle of Galiria, the Battle of the Lys, Operation Michael, the Battle of the Mons, the Battle of Romani, the Kerensky Offensive, the Battle of Megiddo, the Siege of Tsingato, the Second Battle of the Piave River, the Second Battle of Champagne, the Battle of Asiago, the First Battle of Gaza, the Monastir Offensive, the Second Battle of the Somme, the Nivelle Offensive, the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, and the Second Battle of Artois.21 All these Battles contributed to World War I, but some of them were quite significant in World War I.

Some of these battles were quite substantial during World War I. The first one is known as the Battle of Ypres.22 The Battle of Ypres began on April 22, 1915.23 It was the largest Battle that took place in World War I. This Battle was very fast to use poisonous gas, they used it on the Triple Alliance.24 They also used it on the Canadians, but the Canadians kept fighting despite the pain.25 They were recognized for this brave act in their country. Though most of them got hurt, with 6,500 injuries and 2,000 deaths.26 This was all in the name of their country!

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The Battle of Somme is also one of the major Battles in World War I. It began on July 1st, 1916 just after the Battle of Ypres.27 Britain and France were its allies again Germany. The Battle of Somme had the largest amount of deaths, therefore it was nicknamed “The Bloodiest Military Battle.”28 There was an estimated two million deaths in total. A few days later, the Canadians came to the rescue and allied with them.29 Many of the Germans died after this Battle. Even though some of them died, they proved to be courageous and strong all the way and became successful in the Battle.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge began on April 9th, 1917.30 This Battle was very significant, especially to the Canadians, because it led to their independence. They underwent weeks of serious training, studied their way through maps, and learned how to use their weapons.31 “Chaps you shall go over exactly like a railroad train, on time, you shall be annihilated,” warned Canadian Corps Commander Sir Julian Byng.32 This Battle took place on the Western Front, in Northern France. It was very awful due to the Canadians that died in the Battle. More than 10,600 Canadians died.33 Many Canadians sacrificed just to lead the Germans to surrender. They fought hard and to their luck, they conquered Vimy Ridge.

The Battle of Passchendaele began on July 31st, 1917.33 It was nicknamed as the “Battle of Senseless Slaughter.”34 There were about 736,397 deaths and over 850,000 injuries. The Battle included many countries such as; the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, and Germany.35 The soldiers experienced the worst at the Western Front. It rained for two days except the third. Men and animals drowned in deadly swamps of mud.36 Although the British Empire and the Canadians played a major role. They both captured the Passchendaele village at a heavy price. It was an Allied victory when the Battle was over.

The Battle of Cambria began on November 10, 1917, right after the Battle of Passchendaele.37 This Battle is also known as the Tank Attack.38 This was because they used 374 tanks in the Battle. The ground was flat which became even better for the tanks. Britain and Canada were their allies against Germany.39 Canada really helped due to their specialties in military engineering.40 During the Battle, some of the tanks would fall in the trenches, but that didn’t determine their victory. Britain helped by their skillful development of the tank, which really protected them and was also a good weapon.

World War I ended at 11 a.m. on November 1918. This day was celebrated and known as Armistice Day.41 It was the day Germany had a peace agreement. With Germany and its Allies, it was stronger than all the other countries, but they chose to surrender and seek peace. So many people were hurt physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The total number of soldiers and resident victims was about 40 million.42 There were about 9.7 million soldiers and 10 million residents who died. In the military, the Triple Entente lost 5.7 million soldiers and the Triple Alliance lost about 4 million soldiers.43 The Treaty of Versailles was a document signed by the leaders of the USA, Franc, and Great Britain, in the town of Versailles.44 Most of what was agreed upon greatly involved Germany. In the document, it agreed that: Germany had to accept the blame for starting the War, Germany would not join the League of Nations, a part of Germany’s ten percent of the land would be taken away, Germany could not have an army of more than 100,000 men and no submarines or an air force, and they had to pay £6.6 billion for reparations.45 The Germans felt insulted, betrayed, and defeated when they saw the Treaty of Versailles. These rules were made to protect the nations and avoid another War.

World War I was indeed an avoidable catastrophe that could have been avoided if men were willing to live together as a nation. This War began because some people were selfish. Some countries did not like each other or had a different perspective from what other really was. Instead of building each other as a nation, people destroyed each other. They believed that if they won they would be at the top, instead, they did not think of the harm in it. They did not think of the starving children due to the lack of agricultural resources, the helpless mothers who became widows because some of them were forced into the Battle and did not make it, the Great Depression, the lack of food, the lack of women rights, the dying soldiers who were also fathers. This caused men to really think about the afterlife because they knew that they were going to die. Many people joined different religions such as Catholicism, Protestantism, or Judaism. If they were going to die physically, they needed to live spiritually.

Even in the generation we live in we still have problems as such; building relationships with people from different cultures, reduction of racism in society through different activities, multicultural collaboration, political differences, transforming conflicts in diverse communities, and understanding culture, social organization, and leadership to enhance engagement. Although we struggle with these things, we should not let our diversities hinder us from engaging with others and maintaining a healthy community. If we expect people to show love and peace we should live by example and portray it within ourselves. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”46