What caused the first world war

What caused the first world war?

Syllabus Objectives

Focus points

  •  Did the Alliance System and global diplomacy make war more likely or less likely?
  • How far did colonial problems create tensions between the Great Powers?
  •  Why were problems in the Balkans so difficult for the Great Powers to solve?
  • How did the assassination of Franz Ferdinand lead to war?

Specified content

  • The origins of the First World War, 1890–1914: – the Alliance System and the European diplomatic system – the 1902 Anglo–Japanese Alliance – the arms race – colonial rivalries – developments in the Balkans – the crisis of June–July 1914 and the outbreak of war

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