Question

3. In paragraph 3, the author proposes that the “historic rivalry between France and Germany” was one of the leading root causes of World War I. How, according to the author’s argument, did this rivalry contribute to the outbreak of WWI? Cite evidence in your answer.

Answer 1

According to Kissinger, one of the leading root causes of World War 1 was the historic rivalry between France and Germany. This " wild rush to catastrophe" known as WW1 shattered three empires and set the stage for a later and more devastating World War. Kubic supported his point with historical evidence and personal knowledge, stating in paragraph 3 that "the domination of Europe, a contest that in the late nineteenth century placed the two countries on an astonishingly reckless course." This continuing conflict over Europe between the two countries demonstrated a long-term effect and rivalry between these two parties, which eventually led to the start of the war.