World War I

 

I. Causes of World War

            A. Levels of causes

                        1. Trigger: Sarajevo

                        2. Proximate causes

                                    a. conflict in the Balkans--the frontier of empires

                                    b. European nations' sense of vulnerability  

                                    c. military strategy of mobilization and taking the offensive

                                    d.  creates volatile psychology of vulnerability and aggression

                                    e. rigid system of alliances makes it a general war

                        3. Ultimate causes: nationalism at a fever pitch

           

            B. Nationalism strengthened by allied ideologies

                        1. economic and imperialist competition

                        2. "realism," social Darwinism and nihilism: life is a struggle

                        3. conservative appeal to nationalism and militarism

                        4. logic of total war: all or nothing

                                   

II. Total War

            A. War to the finish; everything is at stake

                        1. Advantage of the attack

                                    a. mobilization schedules

                                    b. Schlieffen plan

                        2. all resources committed to war

 

            B. Technological war

                        1. importance of industrial might

                        2. technology gives advantage to defense (contrary to military strategy)

                        3. "heroism" fails to compensate

                                    a. description of battle in All Quiet

 

            C. Massive death rates result from A and B above

           

            D. New passivism, but also a deep need for denial of war realities

                        1. example of Legends of the Fall