How Did Militarism Contribute to World War 1?
Militarism is a fundamental aspect of nations’ preparations for war and defense, but its negative consequences have been starkly evident in the course of history, particularly during World War 1. In this article, we will explore the concept of militarism, its roots, and how it contributed to the outbreak of World War 1.
What is Militarism?
Militarism is the preference for military solutions over political or diplomatic ones. It emphasizes the military organization and control of a state, elevating the status of the military over politics and economics. Military leaders often have a great deal of influence in both domestic and foreign policy. This is often seen as a characteristic of European powers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Militarism was partly a result of the influence of industrialization on military technology, which created greater need for large, well-equipped armies and modernized military infrastructure.
Pre-War Atmosphere: The Buildup to Conflict
The 20th century began with a wave of imperialism in Europe, as various empires scrambled to expand their colonies and secure resources. Militarism played a key role in this imperial frenzy, as nations like Britain, Germany, France, and Italy invested heavily in their armed forces and defense systems.
National Competition and Miscalculations
During this period, competition between European powers for military superiority grew, as well as rivalry for territory, resources, and markets. Rivalry intensified as nationalist sentiment spread in various regions. Fear of German expansionism led the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia) to view Germany with suspicion and worry about their own military capability. Germany, conversely, felt that it needed to be at least equal to France’s military in order to regain its historical status as an equal military power. This dynamic of fear, mistrust, and competitiveness created a perfect environment for an arms race, which, in turn, fueled military spending and escalation.
Assessment of the Balkans and German-Austrian Alliances
Another significant factor contributed to the outbreak of conflict: the Balkan crisis of 1909-1913. The decline of the Ottoman Empire had created power vacuum in the region, where various states vied for control. Germany saw an opportunity to create strong alliances in the region as a way to counter French and Russian influence.
Gavrilo Princip and the Assassination
On June 28, 1914, Austro-Hungarian Crown Prince Archduke Franz Ferdinand visited Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia (then occupied by Austria). He was greeted with a welcome ceremony and headed to visit the Serbian Government. Upon his visit, he attended a Procession, where Gavrilo Princip, a Yugoslav student, waited until the Prince’s car (with insufficient security) caught up and then stepped into the procession, assassinated the couple. This marked the Saratoga (Sarajevo) of our century: the incident drew in both sides into WW1 and led to Europe’s bloodiest conflict ever to date, with many global implications still felt today
Major Consequences:
By the early 20th century, major European powers had adopted and developed policies of militarization, involving the build up of enormous armies and expenditures on weaponry. Militarism as a culture pervaded governments, education institutions, media, and populations. Its consequences in that period became catastrophic and include:
Table 1: Summary of Key Elements
| Event/Organization | Relevance | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Rise of the Triple Entente | Alliance | Erged fears and rivalries |
| World War 1 | Global War | Great devastation |
| Assassination of Austro-Hungarian Prince | Triggering Act | Led to world war I |
Now, how did militarism contribute to World War I? Well, for us, some key highlights as follows are:
- First, military spending led both sides, in spiraling, ever-gaining costs of war preparedness;
- The focus on arms race (Militarism) rather than seeking diplomatic settlements as the basis for maintaining International Peace caused the atmosphere. This allowed the two big alliances and their followers;
- With the alliance itself, fear and the mutual mistrust between major groups led these nations; And in other words: We are ready to give battle for survival, a statement made clear by some government officials or military commanders about their feelings;
- That the countries involved did as they tried to resolve (military) crises over diplomacy that they found
- At the last turn, World War 2 (just 15/20 years later)
Remember, you can look again at other historical wars we’ve examined, with no doubt these are still valuable lessons of the militarized societies with the historical outcome of conflicts.
