Tag: Imperialism

03/6/11

Tightening the Tension

Imperialism played a major role for the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente to go to war against each other among many other factors. Imperialism is a way to show a country’s strength by dominating and acquiring lands in different parts of the world and make its subject follow the mother country’s rules. It is a race to gain territories to show its superiority.  Great Britain had controlled over many lands in five major continents and France took control of majority of the land in Africa. This evoked competition with Germany who started to fight for land in Africa with Great Britain and France which resulted their acquisition of small portion of the land in Africa.

Imperialism not only increased competition among rival countries but it also builds up tension among them. The point of imperialism is to show power and the less land you get can mean the weaker you are. Germany definitly do not want to be in such position and their aggression towards the Triple Entene grew stronger when imperialism continues.

03/3/11

Imperialism

Imperialism was one of the long-term causes that increased the rivalry in Europe, which influence the start of World War I. European countries started taking over colonies through the world since the fifteenth century. By 1900 the British Empire extended over five continents and France had control of large areas of Africa. With the rise of industrialism, countries (Great Britain, Germany and France) needed new markets. The amount of lands ‘owned’ by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who only had small areas of Africa entering the scramble to acquire colonies. As a consequences, it caused Germany to ally with Austria-Hungary, and Britain to ally with France.