What were these forces and how did they contribute to the outbreak of WWI?
World War I is different from most other wars in that it was not a direct result of aggression by one entity towards another, notwithstanding the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian elements. Instead, it was a consequence of a number of forces amidst a disruption of the tenuous balance of power in Europe. What were these forces and how did they contribute to the outbreak of WWI?
Explain the structure of the European alliance system on the eve of World War I. Who were the member nations of the Central Powers and of the Allied Powers?
– 300 words
– 2 outside references
