Origins of the First World War summarizes the policies issues & crises that brought Europe to war in 1914 Examining the strategic & political problems that confronted each of the great powers & the way in which social & economic factors influenced the decision-making process Martel discusses the position of each power & their place in the system of alliances which dominated international politics The fourth edition has been revised & updated throughout to incorporate the body of new scholarship that has appeared since the hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of war In a clear & accessible manner it explains how & why the alliance system was created how alliances led to a network of complicated strategic commitments how an escalating series of international crises from the turn of the century fuelled preparations for war why the peculiarities of the Balkan situation are essential in understanding the outbreak of war in 1914 This book also
Includes:: an updated Guide to Further Reading Who's Who of important figures & Glossary of key terms & the selection of documents has been expanded to include the key treaties as well as evidence of popular militarism & nationalism Concise accessible & analytical it is essential introductory reading for all students interested in the origins of the First World War