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[rizzie]

I don't understand about the long-term and short-term causes of World War 1. This is part of a homework essay and this is one of the points that i have to answer and i don't really get it. Pleaz help! thanx from rizzie

[Mrs Faithorn]

Long term causes are those that happened quite a long time before the main event you are focusing on actually happened whereas short term causes are those which happened only a relatively short time before it.


Events such as the First World War were the result of various causes working together - not just one particular incident. So you can say that the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand was the immediate cause of the war, but that causes such as the build up of rivalry between Germany and France was a long term cause because it dates back to France's defeat by the Germans in 1871. A short term cause would be something such as the Balkan Wars of 1912/13 - together with the other events of the 10 years before war broke out..

Does that help?

You might find it helpful to look at Mr Clare's excellent page on the Causes of World War One
http://www.johndclar...causes_WWI2.htm
and this link from that page:
http://www.johndclar...g-term_egs.html .... click on the 'Show Hints' button on that page.

This essay writing frame should help you too:
http://www.johndclar...WI2_essay.shtml

Note that the FINAL paragraph there about the events in the last 10 years before war broke out are basically the 'short term causes'