Final answer:
Imperialism is tied to militarism as it pushed countries to pursue their national interests through military means, leading to clashes with other imperial powers and contributing to the tensions that led to World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that is closely tied to militarism, in terms of pushing the military to pursue national interests and clashing with the interests of other imperial powers, is Imperialism. Imperialism involves the economic, political, and military domination of strong nations over weaker territories. As European nations competed to expand their empires, especially in Africa and Asia, militarism played an integral role in securing and promoting their interests abroad. This resulted in intense rivalry and mistrust among nations, as they invested heavily in modern militaries and formed alliances to defend these interests. The investment in militarism during the late 1800s and early 1900s, such as the construction of the Dreadnought battleship, signified the aggressive stance nations were willing to take to advance their imperialistic ambitions, which eventually contributed to the outbreak of World War I.