Why Did Europe go to war in 1914?

Why did Europe go to war in 1914?

The ‘Great War’ of 1914-1918 became the first war anyone had ever seen of its kind, not only that, but it was the First World War. It did not, however, begin as a world war. It started in Europe for several reasons.

In the ten years running up to 1914 there were two rival powers in Europe. These were the Triple Entente, which was made up of France, Great Britain and Russia. There was also the Central Powers, or Triple Alliance, consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. There was a long-standing rivalry between France and Germany, which had begun in 1871, when Germany defeated France, and took over Alsace-Lorraine from the French, because of this Germany was expecting France to try and take back Alsace-Lorraine from them. Germany was also beginning to feel threatened, as members of the Triple Entente surrounded them. For these reasons in the years leaded up to the First World War ...