How did Germany first get involved in World War 1?

Answer 1

AnswerThe Long, Complicated Version:

It all started with the unification of Germany in 1871.

For the first time since the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, all of the states in the German confederation were unified. This of course established Germany as a European power. Nationalism played an important part in the beginning of World War I. Germany, a rapidly rising power, unsettled the British, French, and Russians.

The Germans had great pride in having achieved so much in the proceeding years, growing from a small band of confederacies into a single, central nation. Kaiser Wilhelm, the German emperor at the beginning of the war, enjoyed unsettling his British and French neighbors by visiting their colonies personally, and attempting to incite revolts for independence. Perhaps the most notorious of these ventures was the Moroccan Crisis in 1905, when Wilhelm landed in Morocco and gave a speech in favor of Moroccan independence. This caused a conflict with the German and French spheres of influence.

Military Alliances were also responsible for the beginning of World War I. The German and French peoples never really were able to cooperate, especially over whose control the mineral-rich Alsace and Lorraine were to fall. France also borders Germany, making these tensions more intense.

The "Three Emperor's League" was the first of the alliances. It linked the conservative monarchies of Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary against radical movements. Yet, in 1877 and 78, Russia's victories over the Ottoman Empire threatened the balance of Austrian and Russian interests in the Balkans. During the Berlin Conference, German Emperor Otto Von Bismarck played peacemaker between Russia and the weakened Ottomans, as he realized that the system of military alliances in Europe at the time would drag Germany into a war between the two. This peacemaking effort infuriated the Russians, and in turn, Germany formed a defensive alliance with the Austrians (of course the Russians drew out of the Three Emperors' League).

Following this in 1882, Germany, Italy, and Austria form the "Triple Alliance". Also, in a power balancing act against Germany (and Austria and Italy), France and Russia allied in 1894. Then, in 1904, the "Anglo-French Entente" formed a military alliance with the French and the British. Russia, battered by the 1905 Russo-Japanese war, sought to patch up relations with Great Britain, and did so with the Anglo-Russian agreement, which settled boundaries in Persia and Central Asia. This only increased German paranoia by surrounding it with hostile and allied nations.

Imperialism had a hand in beginning world war I as well. Not just because when a home country goes to war, it's colony also does (thus making it a "world" war), but because the new German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm made several tactless public statements about Germany's desire for such obsessions.

Yet another reason Germany was dragged into World War I was it's arms race with Britain. Wilhelm truly believed that the symbol of a major world power was a modern navy, and in 1898, he commissioned the construction of several massive warships. This was taken as a hostile gesture by the British, which in turn caused the British government to expand its navy.

The Short, More Simplified Version:

1) Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the Austrian heir to the throne) visits Serbia (a country occupied by Austria), and is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip.

2) Austria issues an ultimatum of complete and total surrender by the Serbians. They do not comply.

3) Austria invades Serbia. Serbia is allied with Russia, who declares war on Austria.

4) Germany is allied with Austria. Germany declares war on Russia.

5) Germany invades neutral Belgium and Luxembourg (to get a "head start" on the unsuspecting French who were allied to the Russians, and hesitant about declaring war on the Germans), and then France. France declares war on Germany (obviously).

6) Great Britain is allied to France, and declares war in Germany.

Answer 2

The Romans used to control all of Europe, but when their empire started to crumble, the barbarians (anyone that wasn't Roman) conquered the land. Most of this land was conquered by the Goths who split their land up into many different areas (countries), one of which was Germany.

Answer 3

Once Hitler assumed control of the German parliament, he had wasted no time in violating some of the terms in the Treaty of Versailles such as the build-up of armed forces, and the re-militarization of Rhineland in 1936.

Answer 4

Austria started WW I but Germany had a formal defence alliance with Austria so when Austria got in trouble Germany joined in.