In what specific senses might nationalism be considered one of the causes of the First World War?

Résumé du document

Since the beginning of the XIX° century, Europe had known a series of crises, due to serious issues which were causing mounting friction amongst the Powers. Nonetheless, at the beginning of 1914 Europe seemed to be at peace, and the international relations between European countries seemed less tense than they had been in the previous decades. But this picture of an increasing stability was illusionary, and masked great underlying problems. Like this, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the Austro-Hungarian heir, on the 28th of June 1914 in Sarajevo, leaded to the triggering of the First World War. How this event, which seemed to concern only Viennese and Serbian affairs, can have leaded to a World War? What are the origins of the First World War? The question of the causes of the First World War has become a major historical problem, especially because the First World War seemed to be of a great significance as a turning point in the world History. A lot of historians have worked on this question and most of them agree on the fact that it exerts direct and indirect causes, short-term and long-term causes, to the continuation of war.

Extraits

[...] In this way we can say that the manifestation of the French nationalism in Europe was only a desire of conservation, because it only meant recover the lost French provinces. This could only happen through a war against Germany. That is why in France, even if they knew the horrible consequences that it would have, the will of the war existed. Britain, Russia and France were worried about the growing German will of power, and that lead them to an arms race with Germany. [...]

[...] In what specific senses might nationalism be considered to be one of the causes of the First World War? Since the beginning of the XIX° century, Europe had known a serie of crises, due to serious issues which were causing mounting frictions amongst the Powers. Nonetheless, at the beginning of 1914 Europe seemed to be at peace, and the international relations between European countries seemed less tensed than they had been in the previous decades. But this picture of an increasing stability was illusory, and masked great underlying problems. [...]

[...] If this king of nationalism explains the outbreak of a conflict, it does not really explain why and how this war became a World War. One answer could be found in the second kind of nationalism, which was growing at this moment, linked to the invocation of the security interests of the states “which expressed the desire for prestige and the will of power”. Strong nationalism also existed in the other European countries and this can explain the extent that had the war between Austria and Serbia. [...]

[...] Edward Arnold In Nationalism Peter Alter In The Outbreak Of The First World War Causes and Responsability”, in the chapter Back Ground Of The War: General Conclusion” by Pierre Renouvin. The Coming Of the First World War ed. By R.J. W. Evans and Hartmut Pogge Von Strandman, Clarendon Press, Oxford. In Ruth Henig, The origins of the First World War Ed. Routeledge, London and New York In The Origins of the First World War Ed. Routeledge, London and New York In Origins Of The First World USA, New York «Ruth Henig, The Origins Of The First World War Ed. [...]

[...] They meant that countries needed to expand their influence or they would decline. This leaded European Powers to try to extend their influence and their domination in the wider world. This believing that to safe their existing power (and not to increase it, that is the difference with Germany), they had to extend their influence and domination over-seas, drive them to try to increase their colonial possessions. This had as consequence a keen competition between them, and, as there were not so many countries left to new colonisation, it brought tensions and conflicts which were the occasion of new crisis between European countries. [...]