The Failure of Diplomacy and the Outbreak of the First World War in Europe: Militarism throughout 1870-1918

The Great War is a case study of how military alliances stimulated the escalation of hostilities over collective restraint at the brink of a war. The overspilling tensions in the Balkans as well as rising nationalism across Europe had rendered diplomacy a crucial medium for maintaining the balance of power.This thesis will answer the question of in what ways did the failure of diplomacy contribute to the fallout of the First World War? I explore the failures of diplomatic negotiations across Europe as a long term cause which provided the conditions for interstate warfare. To illustrate the political landscape of Europe at the time, the role of nationalism in exacerbating political tensions will be explored in a Europe-wide context. The violations of international law throughout the war will be analyzed to showcase the failures of building international peace through the terms of The Hague Conventions.The findings of this paper indicate that political alliances were a fundamental...Show moreThe Great War is a case study of how military alliances stimulated the escalation of hostilities over collective restraint at the brink of a war. The overspilling tensions in the Balkans as well as rising nationalism across Europe had rendered diplomacy a crucial medium for maintaining the balance of power.This thesis will answer the question of in what ways did the failure of diplomacy contribute to the fallout of the First World War? I explore the failures of diplomatic negotiations across Europe as a long term cause which provided the conditions for interstate warfare. To illustrate the political landscape of Europe at the time, the role of nationalism in exacerbating political tensions will be explored in a Europe-wide context. The violations of international law throughout the war will be analyzed to showcase the failures of building international peace through the terms of The Hague Conventions.The findings of this paper indicate that political alliances were a fundamental tool which encouraged increased hostilities. The failure of diplomacy was a culmination of a series of unequal treaties, negotiations held in bad faith, and the inability to reconcile clashing nationalist ideals. The aggressive undertones of each country’s foreign policy magnified the Balkan crisis into a world war.Show less

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The Failure of Diplomacy and the Outbreak of the First World War in Europe: Militarism throughout 1870-1918