Question

class
date
answer the following questions about the international politics that led to war in europe.
how did the following help to ignite the war in europe?

1. nationalism
2. imperialism
3. militarism
4. alliances
5. assassination of archduke ferdinand

why did the following groups of americans tend to oppose u.s. participation in the war?

1. naturalized citizens
2. socialists
3. pacifists
4. parents

what did the following nations do to encourage u.s. participation in the war?

1. britain
2. germany
3. russia

Explanation:

1. Nationalism: Fueled rivalries between ethnic groups and nations in Europe, as groups sought self-rule or dominance, creating tensions that escalated into conflict.
2. Imperialism: European powers competed fiercely for overseas colonies and resources, leading to bitter rivalries and mistrust between nations.
3. Militarism: Nations built up large, modern militaries, glorified military strength, and adopted aggressive war plans, making war more likely.
4. Alliances: Pre-war secret and formal alliances created a rigid system; when one nation was attacked, allied nations were obligated to join, expanding a local conflict into a full-scale war.
5. Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand: The 1914 murder of Austria-Hungary's Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist gave Austria-Hungary a reason to declare war on Serbia, triggering the alliance system and starting the war.
6. Naturalized citizens: Many had ties to their home countries in Europe, leading them to oppose taking sides or fighting against people from their origin nations.
7. Socialists: Viewed the war as a conflict between wealthy elites, not workers, and opposed fighting for capitalist and imperialist interests.
8. Pacifists: Held moral and ethical beliefs against all war, rejecting any form of violent conflict.
9. Parents: Feared losing their sons to combat, and opposed the human cost of the war for their families.
10. Britain: Blockaded German ports to cut off supplies, shared propaganda about German atrocities, and maintained close cultural and economic ties with the U.S. to build support.
11. Germany: Used unrestricted submarine warfare, sinking U.S. merchant ships (like the Lusitania) and passenger vessels, which outraged the American public and pushed the U.S. toward war.
12. Russia: As an Allied power, shared intelligence about German aggression, and framed the war as a fight against autocracy, aligning with U.S. ideals to gain support.

Answer:

1. Nationalism stoked ethnic/national rivalries and tensions.
2. Imperialism created colonial resource competition and mistrust.
3. Militarism built up armies and normalized war planning.
4. Alliances turned a local conflict into a continent-wide war.
5. The assassination was the immediate trigger for Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, activating alliances.
6. They had cultural/ethnic ties to European nations and opposed taking sides.
7. They saw the war as an elite capitalist conflict, not a workers' fight.
8. They held moral opposition to all violent warfare.
9. They feared losing their children to combat.
10. Britain used propaganda, maintained U.S. trade, and shared German atrocity reports.
11. Germany used unrestricted submarine warfare, sinking U.S. ships.
12. Russia shared anti-German intelligence and framed the war as a fight for democratic values.