Among the long-term underlying causes of the First World War, historians frequently cite the intense rivalry among European powers for colonies and global influence, generally referred to as:
The pre-war arms race among major European powers, involving rapid expansion of armies, navies and weaponry, particularly the Anglo-German naval rivalry, reflects the long-term cause generally known as:
Intense feelings of national pride, rivalry and, in some cases, aspirations for unification or independence among various European ethnic groups (such as in the Balkans) contributed significantly to pre-war tensions through the force of:
Before the outbreak of war, Europe was divided into two rival systems of military alliances. Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed one such alliance, known as the:
The immediate trigger for the outbreak of the First World War was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in the city of:
