1. By the time the first ship sailed through the Panama Canal, the world's attention was no longer on Panama, but on far-off Europe. In August 1914, German troops poured across Belgium, on their way to attempt to conquer France. Europe was at war.

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2. European countries had long competed with each other for colonies, trade, and territory, but by the early 1900s, nationalism was complicating these rivalries. Austria-Hungary had built an empire by taking over smaller countries in the part of eastern Europe known as the Balkans. Nationalism inspired in the Balkan people a burning desire to be independent of Austrian rule.
3. As tensions grew, European leaders looked for safety in militarism, a policy of glorifying military power and military ideas and values. When Germany built up its navy to challenge the United Kingdom's fleet, the United Kingdom (Britain) constructed more battleships. As Germany's army grew, France built up its own army.
4. European countries also looked for safety in alliances. In secret treaties, Germany and Austria-Hungary agreed to help each other in case of attack. The United Kingdom, Russia, and France made similar agreements. Europe was dividing into what amounted to armed camps.
5. An outburst of nationalism lit the fuse of war. On June 28, 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was visiting the city of Sarajevo in the province of Bosnia. Many Bosnians were Serbs who wanted to be part of nearby Serbia instead of Austria-Hungary. A Serbian nationalist jumped out of a crowd and fatally shot the archduke and his wife.

6. Outraged, Austria-Hungary accused Serbia of having a hand in the assassinations and pressured Serbia to give up most of its independence. When the Serbs refused, Austria-Hungary declared war. The Russians stepped in to defend the Serbs, and the Germans then came to the aid of Austria-Hungary by declaring war on Russia. Russia's ally, France, began to prepare for war.
7. Eventually, more than a dozen countries took sides in the “Great War.” Decades later, people called the conflict World War I. Austria-Hungary and Germany headed the Central Powers. France, Russia, and the United Kingdom led the Allied Powers.
8. Like most Americans, President Woodrow Wilson wanted to stay out of the war. Declaring that the United States would remain neutral, Wilson begged citizens to be “impartial in thought as well as deed.”

How did European countries try to stay safe in the years before 1914?

Answer 1

In the years leading up to 1914, European countries sought safety through two main strategies: militarism and alliances.

1. Militarism: European nations glorified military power, leading to an arms race where countries built up their military capabilities. For instance, Germany expanded its navy to challenge British naval supremacy, prompting Britain to construct more battleships. Similarly, France increased the size of its army in response to Germany's military expansion. This focus on military strength was seen as a means to deter aggression from rival nations.

2. Alliances: Countries formed secret treaties and alliances to enhance their security. Germany and Austria-Hungary established agreements to support each other in the event of an attack. In response, the United Kingdom, Russia, and France formed their own alliances. This network of alliances effectively divided Europe into two armed camps, with countries committed to supporting one another in case of conflict, contributing to the overall tension on the continent.

Together, these strategies created a volatile environment that ultimately contributed to the outbreak of World War I following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.