Throughout the history of the world, there are certain periods of time that are etched into the thoughts of everyone, leaving their imprints on generations to come. What started on July 28, 1914 marked one of those periods – World War I. Whether it is the powerful alliances of the dominating countries or the notorious deep trench warfare of the western front, there are many contributing aspects of World War I that left Europe obliterated and weakened. A great number of European countries and empires suffered the war’s aftermath in the form of poverty and anarchy, leading many to revolutions and new governing bodies. However, the underlying cause for the Great War is still to be decided. While the superficial cause may seem to be the assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, there are other significant triggers that lead up to the start of WWI, with one of the most important being nationalism. The rise of nationalism across the continent and beyond during the early 20th century significantly hiked tension and assertive competition between the powers of Europe, eventually triggering the onset of the deadly First World War.
In the decades leading up to World War I, many European nations were enjoying a period of domination and control within their own empires, as Britain was doing, creating a sense of superiority amongst each other. The British Empire was famously quoted as “the empire on which the sun never sets,” with colonies spanning Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, and many more. The country’s navy was regarded as the most powerful and most developed in the world at the time, adding to the dominance perceived by British citizens. The empire’s navy was well equipped with numerous dreadnoughts and submarines, in addition to their fairly strong standing army, which prompted a sense of safety and satisfaction in the people. To add to their growing sovereignty, the British were also leading the industrial side with the development of the steam engine and other products, which served to increase their trade and economic stance. All these aspects about the British boosted the empire’s confidence, as they understood their capability to defend themselves. The empire as a whole felt that they had the weapons and tactics to defend against any European power, as they were backed up by all these elements. This served to lift the spirits of the empire, leading to a sense of patriotism and renewed nationalism amongst the citizens. This nationalism is what significantly altered the British Empire’s attitude to be more assertive in the years leading up to WWI. The British continued to feel as though they were the superior island, situated in the north, which led the rest of the world. Whether it was due to their colonies, navy, or enduring dominant history, the British often looked down upon the rest of Europe with a sense of authority and jurisdiction. It was the empire’s expanding nationalism that prompted such a demeanor and provoked other countries to attempt to surpass this power.
This rising sense of nationalism and self-preservation was not only present in Britain, but also seen through the Pan-Germanism idea within the German Empire, one of the main European powers and contenders in WWI. Following the victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Germans felt very stable and powerful. The unification of Germany in 1871 was yet another example of the growing sense of accord within the empire, as the states were all now working together towards progress. The militaristic prowess of the empire was also elevated with the addition of Prussia after unification, and the protective Schlieffen Plan served to reinforce their confidence in the event of an attack. Additionally, the industrial growth of the empire was shown through its heightened railway construction, coal production, and iron ore mining among others. Even the British were overtaken in the steel production sector, illustrating how the German Empire was rapidly soaring higher . Such dominant growth over the decades prior to WWI proved to the German people that their empire was no less influential than others. After a long period of instability and indifference towards the Germans by the rest of the world, such new peaks incited both the German leaders and the people to establish their supremacy. The Moroccan Crises of 1905 and 1911 were both examples of Germans seeking to prove themselves by interfering in other lands. During the anarchism in Morocco, the German Empire sought after the region, as they opposed the French domination. If it were not for the stability and audacity resulting from Germany’s nationalism, they likely would not have tried to gain this land at all. The German gunboat sent to protect their interests in Morocco was just an extension of this nationalism that provoked an interest in imperialism here, as well. Although the Germans did not achieve the expected result in the end, this nationalism-fueled attempt strained relations with France as the war was approaching. Even the change in leaders during this time portrayed the mindset of the patriotic empire. Initially, Bismarck aimed to stabilize the empire domestically and maintain respectable relations, while the newly crowned Wilhelm II opted for aggressive ties and bold imperialism. As shown through this, nationalism brought about the appeal to prove their empire’s strength to the rest of the powers, as the citizens became convinced that their empire’s development would lead them to endless success. This in turn, transformed the empire’s attitude to be assertive, since they were “undoubtedly the best.”
While the nationalism of the British and Germans was prompted by the empires’ development, France’s nationalism was provoked by a sense of jealousy and desire for their lost land. After prevailing in the Franco-Prussian War, Germany acquired the Alsace-Lorraine territory, which previously belonged to the French. This further aggravated the French, who were already suffering from a humiliating defeat at the Franco-Prussian War. An anti-German feeling was encouraged all throughout France, which partly led to their alliance with Russia for WWI. France expressed growing contempt for their neighbors Germany, and thought to fight back, as they wanted to prove their sovereignty. This matter of imperialism was taken a step further, as the French wanted to reinstate their power against the Germans and regain their land and reputation. The already existing authority of France allowed them to support any anti-German actions of their allies and move forward in WWI, confidently and aggressively.
Nationalism branched out to yet another idea that united the Slavs of Europe prior to WWI. The Slavic regions of Europe primarily consisted of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Central and North Asia. Poles, Serbs, Russians, Croats, Bosnians, and Bulgarians are generally considered to be Slavs, and such people were coming together to unite against the Ottomans during conflicts. Pan-Slavism, the idea that the Slavs would dominate Europe if united, was infiltrating throughout these regions, as they all geared up for revolutions and freedom from various empires. The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 were a prime example of this nationalistic mindset of the Slavs. In these series of wars, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro were in conflict with the Ottoman Empire, as they attempted to fight for their land and defeat the Turks. These small yet ambitious countries were pulling together to fight for their countries’ power and independence that had been ignored for decades by the dominant Ottomans. Aided by Russia, these regions fought with a sense of nationalism for each of their ethnicities and groups, which made them more prone to boldness and aggressiveness as they took on the potent Ottoman Turks. The assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand was also motivated by similar nationalist ideas stemming from Pan-Slavism. A Serbian nationalist had shot the archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as he reflected the Serbs’ fear of autonomy for the Slavic people. Without this nationalism that drove the Slavs to unite and act quickly, this important event, which is viewed as an immediate trigger of WWI, might not have even taken place.
Nationalism provided the momentum necessary for empires and countries to invest in the war. The feeling of supremacy and confidence that they all possessed led them to tackle WWI with a tactical and assertive approach. Although militarism, imperialism, and the system of alliances were viewed as other significant triggers, these are all merely a result of the nationalism of the empires and countries. The arms race was simply a way of building up the country’s protection to promote their self-preservation, while imperialism was just an attempt to show more of their countries’ capabilities while moving into other fronts with confidence. Without nationalism, the countries would have no need for alliances, as these were only made to protect and prove their capabilities to the world, and acquire more help in the process of becoming the best. Nationalism was the aspect responsible for lifting the spirits of each country while provoking them to fight boldly, as they each portrayed their countries’ powers to the rest of the world in World War I.