Austria-Hungary, with the backing of Germany, issued an ultimatum to Serbia containing demands that were intentionally harsh and difficult to accept fully. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany urged Austria-Hungary to "strike while the iron is hot," believing Russia would eventually back down.
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Similarly, Russian Tsar Nicholas II underestimated the resolve of Germany and the speed with which the conflict would engulf his empire. The Underlying Forces: Militarism and Alliances Long before the shots in Sarajevo, Europe was divided into two major power blocs through a series of bilateral and multilateral treaties.
This fervent belief in national destiny made compromise seem like weakness to many leaders and citizens across the continent. Leaders on all sides fundamentally miscalculated the scale of the destruction modern warfare could inflict.
What Event Sparked World War 1 Immediate Trigger
The Role of Nationalism Nationalism was the volatile fuel that fed the fire of 1914. What began as a regional act of violence in Sarajevo escalated into a global conflict that redrew the map of the world.
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