Final answer:
Pre-World War I alliances significantly contributed to the global scale of the conflict, as participating countries were bound by these agreements to support their allies, leading to a war that spread well beyond Europe's borders, hence the answer is A. True.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding whether the pre-World War 1 alliances made the conflict a truly global war has an affirmative answer. To clarify, the complex network of alliances formed before World War I significantly contributed to the escalation and expansion of the conflict, making it the first truly global war.
At the outset of the 20th century, European powers were entrenched in a labyrinth of alliances designed to balance each other's power. The intent was to prevent any one country from becoming too dominant, but this fragile structure also meant that tensions could quickly escalate. The alliances, such as the Triple Entente between Great Britain, France, and Russia, and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, dictated that if one country became involved in a conflict, their allies would also be compelled to join. This is precisely what unfolded after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Bosnian Serb in June 1914. The subsequent declaration of war on Serbia by Austria-Hungary triggered a domino effect as allies mobilized against each other.
Furthermore, colonial empires had global reach, which meant their conflicts were not confined to European borders. The war spread to the Middle East, parts of Africa, and Asia. Countries from around the world, including those from the British Empire like India and New Zealand, participated in the war. Military engagements were not only in Europe but also in the Ottoman territories, between European colonial armies in Africa, and in the German-controlled Chinese port of Tsingtao. The use of technologies like machine guns, mustard gas, and advances in naval capabilities further enhanced the global scale and destructive capacity of the war.
Ultimately, these alliances and the entangled interests of nations across continents indeed made World War I a true global conflict. Therefore, the correct answer to the statement that the pre-World War 1 alliances made the war a true global conflict is A. True.