I teach my students a simple quote that is easy to remember that covers the four underlying causes of World War I in Europe:
"I want your land, I'm better than you, I've got guns and I've got friends"
I want your land - Imperialism - the competition between six European empires for control of the world's colonies and resources.
I'm better than you - Nationalism -the hyperpatriotism that existed in each of these six empires prior to the war
I've got guns - the arms race between the six countries to produce massive military machines, with millions of soldiers and huge navies
I've got friends - the system of alliances that these empires cooperated under, which gave them an overconfidence in their ability to win the war, and dragged them into it once it started.
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