1. The Will to Make War

2. Focusing Question
•How far did European
society accept war as
natural and inevitable?

3. Literature
• The idea and stories of war were often
treated as a normal and romantic notion.
• War was a quick and decisive diplomatic
problem solver. You had winners, losers
and a settlement that reflective it.
• War novels featuring a leading man in
uniform was a popular trend.

4. Literature
• Alongside novels, were accounts of a history and
destiny of nations.
• These works often spoke to a country's ideals
and traditions.
• In Germany, Treitschke preached German
greatness was based off her army and war was
an “institution ordained by God”.
• Bernhardi, saw the option of peace as “immoral
and inhuman”. Germany’s role was either “World
power or destruction.

5. The Press
• By the end of the 19th century mass-
circulation press was common. Bad news
sold better than good and this caused the
rise of sensationalism. Nationalistic
feelings were often played upon.
• The idea of the yellow press, and their
exaggerated nature helped to prepare the
countries for war. From 1905, the daily
mail was prophesising a war between
Britain and Germany.

6. Patriotic Education
• As the nature of schooling changed into
being readily available, more children
were taught about their nations history.
• French children were taught about how
Germany had robbed them of Alsace and
Lorraine. Germans were taught about their
precarious situation of being surround by
enemies. Russians were taught about
invasions their nations had suffered.

7. War and Society: Britain
•These all lead to a continued rise of
patriotism throughout these nations.
New groups, such as British boy
scouts, formed as the future
protectors of their nation.
•These patriotic felling's give rise the
Jingoism in Britain and the placement
of the armed forces as the great
heroes of the Empire.

8. War and Society
• The pan-German league promoted the
idea that the areas would one day be
united and form one large German state,
which would dominate the world.
• In Russia, a similar idea of a pan-Slav
movement existed.
• In France, they remained looking towards
the areas of Alsace and Lorraine.

9. War and Society
• The rise of militant nationalism also
promoted the idea of social Darwinism.
• Only the fittest nations would survive in
the world struggle. In order to do so one
needed armaments, solders and public
backing.
• By 1914, the powers of Europe greeted
war with optimism and enthusiasm, seeing
it as the way to answer the new worlds
questions.

12. M.A.I.N Points
• Militarism
• Societies welcomed the increase in armaments as an crucial part
of preparing a nation
• Alliances
• Imperialism
• Pan-German and pan-Slavic ideals arise
• The British empire must remain strong through strength both at
home and overseas.
• Nationalism
• The populace are taught about their history and pride of their
nation.
• Nationalistic feelings, such as British Jingoism, become more
common and seen as a good reflection of the nation.

13. Activities
•Complete resources
A, C and F