Write the information about the First World War (1914-1918) – (a) Causes of the war (b) Immediate cause (c) Foundation of ‘League of Nations’

Answer:

(a) Causes of the war:

• Aggressive nationalism in European countries.
• Rivalry for colonies and markets among industrialised nations (imperialism).
• Arms race and militarism, including the naval race between Britain and Germany.
• Formation of two hostile alliances: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and the Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia).

(b) Immediate cause: On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife were assassinated at Sarajevo by a Serbian youth. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia; Russia supported Serbia, Germany supported Austria, and France and Britain joined, turning it into a world war.

(c) Foundation of the League of Nations: After the war, US President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points proposed an international organisation to keep peace. The League of Nations was established in 1920 with its headquarters at Geneva. Its aims were to settle disputes peacefully, reduce armaments and promote international co-operation. It failed to prevent aggression in the 1930s, and the Second World War broke out.