Sacrificing their lives for someone or something is pretty painful things to do especially

in World War I because the condition in the war is horrifying and uncomfortable. But what if
they died for love, love of their own country? Thinking as dying for your family. That wouldnt
be too regretful. Love can make us satisfied, yet caused deaths. World War I is one of the greatest
war in human history. Many historians keep finding the main cause of the war. Eliminating the
argument, Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism are considered to be the main
causes of World War I. However, Nationalism is actually the cause of all the conflicts.
Taking few steps back into the year 1908, the time when Austria-Hungary took control of
Bosnia. Thinking about how furious of Serbia can be; they might be intensely angry of AustriaHungary because Serbia and Bosnia are like siblings. Many people in Bosnia their races are
Serbia, two countries are about to reunion. Moreover, Serbia also had to stop some of their trade
through Bosnia which made Serbia even more angry. On June, 1914, Arch Duek Franz
Ferdinand, the heir of Austria-Hungary, went to visit Sarajevo. He was assassinated by Gavrilo
Princip, Bosnian living in part of Austria-Hungary which that part was Bosnia before. Even
through, Gavrilo Princip told to be the one who killed Franz Ferdinand, but if Princip doesnt kill
him, someone would definitely kill him anyway. According to Document 1 Causes, this event
was called to be the spark of WWI. However, the spark was cause by Nationalism because if
they pride their own country. The reason for that were most of the people there are Bosnian and,
they were unhappy about Austria-Hungary conquered their country.
Even though, the history already inscribed the cause of WWI in four reasons. Sometimes
there will be only one main conflict. Some historians might not think the same thing because
different minds have different thoughts. If looking step by step, every causes followed the same

beginning which was Nationalism. According to Document The Great Wars, Militarism, is all
about air forces, marines, troops, etc., but if the leader didt command the order, the violence will
not occurred. Also if the armies were not willing to fight, they wont fight because no one want to
die worthlessly, they want to die with honor. If the Europeans produced more soldiers and more
weapons, the country will be more powerful. In that period, finding protection for their own
country is an important choice that most countries choose. In Document 2a and 2b - Alliances is
dividing alliances in WWI into two big group called The Triple Entente and The Triple Alliances.
Each group will make an agreement with preferred countries for protection and help if needed. In
The Triple Entente was consisted of Russia, France, Britain, and other small countries. AustriaHungary, Germany, and Italy were in The Triple Alliances. From those combinations, each
country ensure that they will safe, but somehow, they come with chains. Chains of promising to
help those countries too. Alliances system was initiated by Nationalism because every countries
want peace and safety to protect themselves. More than centuries when Europeans started to
conquer Africa and Asia which is not abolished until early 1900s. According to Document 10 D,
the diagram is showing the empires in 1914. From that the British is having the most land in the
world (excluding Russia) which means the British control the world. This was caused by
Imperialism; Every county in Europeans competed to each other to be the best. In a result, they
pride their own country, or we called it as Nationalism.
World War I doest only influence physically, but also ideologically. The idea of Social
Darwinism; scientific theory that became social and economics terms. The strongest nation has
always been conquering the weakest ... and the strongest tend to be the best (Bagehot, n.d.).
The quote is one of the example of Social Darwinism showing how this idea has been using
throughout the war from the beginning until the end of WWII. Darwin is using his scientific

terms in plants and animals called Survival of the fittest to adapt in history by the countries
that were stronger survived and let the weaker countries being vanished. This was a propaganda
that Europeans try to promote their own country, and conquered countries which also called as
Nationalism.
In conclusion, WWI is one of the biggest loss war in world history, and it also cause a lot
of tears and deaths. Many conflict caused the war to occur, but the root of it is only one path.
Militarism, Alliances, and Imperialism is initiated by Nationalism, but in different ways. Even
the anger of the whole country may started by one event like the assassination of Arch Duek
Franz Ferdinand. This is showing that they really love each other and agree in what the
government country said even if it right or wrong. Nationalism concept can also linked to the
idea of Social Darwinism by how people believing in the country and the government, and how
prideful countries thinking they are the strongest. In the end, War doest determines who is
right. Was determines who is left. - Russel.

References
Tankard, Keith (2009) Retrieved from http://www.worldhistory.knowledge4africa.com/
modern/realism-06.jsp