Question

What role did nationalism play in the outbreak of World war I?

Answer 1

Hint: World War I, also known as the First World War, was a global conflict that began in Europe and lasted until November 11, 1918. The Allied Powers and the Central Powers battled each other in World War I.

Complete answer:
France, Russia, and the United Kingdom were the key representatives of the Allied Powers. After 1917, the United States also fought against the Allies. Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria were the key members of the Central Powers.

Nationalism was a powerful force in early twentieth-century Europe, and it was a major factor in the outbreak of World War I. Nationalism is a strong type of patriotism or allegiance to one's homeland. Nationalists exaggerate the importance or values of their home country, prioritizing its interests above the interests of other countries.

Nationalism:
i) The desire of the Slavic peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to no longer be a part of Austria-Hungary and instead become a part of Serbia was at the root of the war. In this way, nationalism contributed to the outbreak of the war.
ii) Patriotism in the sense of nationalism was a strong emotion. Nationalists praised their own country's culture and successes and prioritised their own interests over those of other countries.
iii) Battle, colonial conquests, and competition fueled pre-war nationalism, as did political propaganda, newspapers, and popular culture, such as penny press novelists' "invasion literature."
iv) A century of relative peace and prosperity fueled British nationalism. The British Empire had developed and prospered, its naval power had increased, and Britons had only seen colonial wars.
v) Following Germany's unification in 1871, a new movement called German nationalism emerged. It became fascinated of German imperial expansion (securing Germany's 'position in the sun') and envious of the British and their empire.
vi) In the Balkans, where Slavic Serbs and others pursued independence and autonomy from Austria-political Hungary's dominance, rising nationalism was also a factor.

Note: The countries that fought in World War I spent a lot of money. Germany and the United Kingdom invested roughly 60% of the money produced by their economies. Taxes had to be raised, and countries had to borrow money from their people. They also printed money in order to purchase guns and other war-related products. After the battle, this resulted in inflation.