The First World War: Causes, Consequences, and Liberal Theory

The First World War: Defining the Great Conflict (1914–1918)

The war fought between July 28, 1914, and November 11, 1918, was known at the time as the Great War, the War to End War, and (in the United States) the European War. Only when the world went to war again in the 1930s and 1940s did the earlier conflict become known as the First World War (WWI).

Unprecedented Scale and New Technologies

WWI's casualty totals were unprecedented, soaring into the millions. The conflict is known for the extensive system of trenches from which men of both sides fought. Lethal new technologies were unleashed, and for the first time, a major war was fought not only on land and at sea but also below the sea and in the skies.

The Belligerents: Allies vs. Central Powers

The two sides were known as the Allies or Entente and the Central Powers. A number of smaller nations aligned themselves with one side or the other.

The Allies (Entente)

• Primarily consisted of France, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, and later the United States.
• In the Pacific, Japan joined the Allies, seeing a chance to seize German colonies.

The Central Powers

• Primarily comprised of Austria-Hungary (the Habsburg Empire), Germany, and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey).

The Allies were the victors, as the entry of the United States into the war in 1917 added an additional weight of men and materiel the Central Powers could not hope to match.

Geopolitical Consequences of WWI

The war resulted in a dramatically changed geopolitical landscape, including the destruction of three empires: the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian. New borders were drawn at its conclusion, and resentments, especially on the part of Germany, were left festering in Europe. Ironically, decisions made after the fighting ceased led the "War to End War" to be a significant cause of the Second World War.

Analyzing the Origins of WWI: A Liberal Perspective

From a liberal perspective, the outbreak of the First World War was attributed not to inevitable power struggles but to systemic failures within the international community.

Key Tenets of the Liberal Interpretation

• Lack of Communication: The conflict arose from a failure of diplomacy and open dialogue.
• Lack of Institutions: There were no robust international institutions committed to peace, meaning no one was committing to collective security.
• Isolation of Germany: The rise of Germany showed fear; no one assisted or invited room for teaching and cooperation.
• Secrecy in Diplomacy: European diplomacy was characterized by secrecy and manipulation.
• Insufficient Interdependence: While the world was independent, there was not enough real political independence, leading to jealousy and interest in war.

Summary: Liberal Focus on Systemic Failure

In liberalism, the cause of the war is rooted in the lack of communication, institutions, and cooperation among major powers.