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The rise of Germany, whose supremacy France dreaded and whose navy

menaced [threatened] England, had created among [England and France] an
alliance which claimed it was defensive in nature but was denounced by
German propaganda as an attempt at [the] encirclement [of Germany]. The
two armed camps alarmed each other, and each grew heavy with multiplied
incidents, which spread East [with the assassination of the Archduke
Ferdinand], where Russia and Austria were advancing contradictory claims.
Source: Raymond Aron, The Century of Total War, Doubleday & Co., 1954 (adapted)
According to this source, what responsibility did the alliance system play in the outbreak of the war?
What role did the assassination and the following ultimatum play in the outbreak of the war?

User Pavel Sich
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Final answer:

The alliance system and the assassination played significant roles in the outbreak of World War I.


Step-by-step explanation:

The alliance system played a significant role in the outbreak of the war. The rise of Germany and its naval threat to England caused an alliance between England and France, which Germany saw as an encirclement. This led to the formation of two armed camps and increased tensions between the countries.

The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the following ultimatum played a direct role in sparking the war. The assassination, carried out by a Serbian nationalist, triggered a series of events, including Austria issuing an ultimatum to Serbia. This resulted in a chain reaction of declarations of war, ultimately leading to the outbreak of World War I.


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