Question

Discuss the form of nationalism that prevailed in Europe before world war 1, and explain how it contributed to the start of the war

Answer 1

The form of nationalism that prevailed in Europe before World War I was the Pan-Slavic nationalism. This was the prevalent form of nationalism in the eastern European countries, the Balkan states,  and it was the strongest in Serbia, where the young people were strongly opposed to the occupation of Vienna of Boznia and Herzegovina. They wanted to drive Vienna out and so establish a greater Serbia for only Slavic people.  The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand  by Pan-Slavic nationalists in Sarajevo in 1914, led immediately to the outbreak of the World War I.  In Germany the form of nationalism was the Pan-German nationalism, which was focused on the idea that the German army was the strongest in the world and was especially resentful against great Britain, because they regarded themselves as  powerful with their naval forces and colonial expanses.