Immediate Causes of World War I

The long term effects of imperialism, nationalism and militarism created tensions that lasted for years in Europe. However the immediate causes of the war was from the alliance system, tensions on the Balkan Peninsula, and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. The alliance system was the main reason for expanding the small war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia to the entire world.

Before the start of the war, several treaties had been signed and several wars had been fought that created great animosity in Europe and led to the formation of alliance systems. Ever since German unification, the Kaiser of Germany, Otto von Bismark had realized that Germany would need a strong ally for protection because of Germany's big disadvantage in geography. In case of a war or conflict, Germany could be attacked on all sides by its enemies. In 1879, Germany signed an alliance treaty with Austria-Hungary. Germany felt that this alliance would ensure security and survival of their empire. In addition, the treaty served as a way of preventing a Russian attack on Germany because of Russian outrage at Germany from the Congress of Berlin. In 1878 Germany set up a Congress in Berlin between the European nations. In the Congress, the treaty of San Stefan was nullified and Bosnia-Herzegovina was given to Austria-Hungary.

Germany was also worried that an attack from France because there was deep hatred between the two nations from the Franco-Prussian War. In the war France lose to Germany and was forced to give up the province of Alsace and Loraine. Germany knew that if Russia attacked, it would easily be defeated by both Germany and Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary signed the treaty with Germany because it wanted to prevent a Russian attack on it from tension between the nations on the Balkan Peninsula. The treaty was very significant because it was one of the first alliances signed between two superpowers in Europe.

In 1882, Italy had made an alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary. These three countries made up the Triple Alliance of Europe.

In 1893 France and Russia formed an alliance based on their mutual hatred of Germany. France's hatred stemmed from the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. In the war Prussia had been on a quest for German unification. By defeating France, Prussia was awarded the provinces of Alsace and Loraine from France. These two final provinces made German unification complete and Prussia's name was changed to Germany. These two provinces had been vital to France because they were rich in coal and iron. France never got over their defeat by Germany and still held resentment against it. They secretly had longed for war against Germany to reclaim these two provinces. France also felt that Germany was a main threat to its territory.