Summary of the Lead Up to War
History: KS3, topic 16.2.8
Reasons for the Outbreak of Hostilities
A number of short-, medium- and long-term factors led to the outbreak of the First World War.
Long-term factors
- Imperialism and colonialism.
- A policy of strengthening a country by conquering new territory.
- Militarism.
- Spending more money to increase military strength.
Medium-term factors
- The alliance system.
- German Weltpolitik (world policy).
- Slav nationalism.
Short-term factors
- The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
- The July Crisis, followed by the German invasion of France through Belgium.
Tensions leading to war
- Perhaps out of fear of being humiliated and not wanting to be on the back foot, tensions escalated to the point of war.
- None of the powers had a clear aim of war.
- No one anticipated the devastating conflict that would happen between 1914-1918.
Test yourself on Summary of the Lead Up to War
Which is NOT a medium-term factor that caused the First World War?