The Faces of Nationalism
Table of Contents
Page 2 Introduction
Page 3 World War I
Page 4 Indian Nationalist Movement
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9 African Nationalist Movement
Conclusion
Appendix: Timeline
Works Cited
Introduction
The use of nationalism (defined as patriotic feelings, principles, or efforts) as a rallying point is a double-edged sword. The development of pride in, and love for, one’s nation can lead to a unified effort in its development. When carried to excess, however, it is often a basis for the subjugation of others, and a rallying cry and justification for war. It is thus a manipulative tool, readily used for good or ill depending on the motivations of those employing it. This paper will narrowly examine its development and effects in some of the events leading to and resulting from the first World War.
The Eastern Hemisphere was a mix of ruling nations, subject nations, and occupied territories. Most of the ruling nations were the larger European countries (Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Turkey) while the subject nations included mostly smaller European, African and Asian countries and colonies. Curiously, the ruling classes of the European nations were often related to one another, a factor one might imagine would reduce nationalistic conflicts. Cousins, daughters, and uncles ranged among the ruling aristocracy of most, if not all, but siblings have not always been known to share well, and the sibling nations of Europe were no exception. Nominal alliances, common interests between what were to become the Allied and the Central Powers, were solidified with events following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria by a group of Serbian Nationalists in 19...
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"WORLD WAR I (1914–1919)." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.
World War One was greatly influenced by many factors, and in many ways. National interest ignited the mistrust and insecurities within nations, which in turn led to the creation of strong alliances and immense military forces. The growing suspicion Britain had of Germany only heightened the wariness and uncertainty of nations. The means, by which individual nations dealt with the issues within themselves, and outside of their boundaries, in the years preceding World War One, were irrational and improperly thought through. Nations fell into a strong ultra nationalistic point of view, and acted in a way which expressed interest in themselves only.
McCullough Edward E. How The First World War Began: The Triple Entente and the Coming of the Great War of 1914-1918. North America: Black Rose Books, 1999. Print.
There were many factors that led to the initial outbreak of World War I in Europe. A constant struggle to gain the upper hand in the “balance of power” existed, and it resulted in the formation of many alliances between European nations. For the most part, these agreements stipulated that the nations would aid one another if one of them were to be attacked by an enemy. Eventually two distinct sides formed: the Allies and the Central Powers. The former consisted of Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, while the latter was made up of Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and what was left of the Ottoman Empire.
Duffy, Michael. “The Cause of World War One.” First World War.com. 22 Aug. 2009. Web. 18 May 2014.
Without a doubt, the one underlying cause of the three described above that was most responsible for World War I was the system of alliances.
Flory, Harriette, and Samuel Jenike. A World History: The Modern World. Volume 2. White Plains, NY: Longman, 1992. 42.
...is, Elisabeth Gaynor., and Anthony Esler. World History Connections to Today. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. Print.
The rise of European nationalism in the 19th Century brought with it an overabundance amount of change that would definitively modify the course of history. The rise of nationalism in one country would rouse greater nationalism in another, which would in turn, motivate even greater nationalism in the first, progressively intensifying the cycle that eventually concluded in a World War. Nationalism as an ideology produced international competition which inspired absolute allegiance to an individual’s nation state. The ideology was fueled by industrial commerce and imperialistic developments which led to nation-states pursuits of outcompeting rival nations.
Nationalism, the love and support of one's country, has always existed. In this era, however, it was to take part in the creation of one of the most famous wars in history. Since so much pride was devoted to countries, it made the possibilities of peace between past rivals less probable. It also meant that most nations, especially the great powers, would rather fight a war than back down from a rival's diplomatic provocation. In effect, nationalism was also a contributing factor to the alliance system. No country feels comfortable being in a war alone, and with the growing militaries in almost every country, allies provided much comfort.
Prussia was well prepared for war, with three Prussian armies sweeping Bohemia, and the battle of Sadowa, Austria suffered defeat. Nationalism was viewed in so many different ways by so many different leaders and society. Many conflicts and wars had a long term impact on Nationalism, but some conflicts had a small impact on Nationalism. The Frankfurt Constitution was written and published and is a document of German History today. The article “On the Duties of Man”, by Giuseppe Mazzini and how the map of Europe was redrawn, which had a huge impact on Nationalism.
Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, and Dahia I. Shabaka. World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2009.
Once engaged in a war, a country’s militarism will produce fine soldiers ready to drop like dominos on the battlefield, while the nationalism works as fuel providing the naive determination to fight the war. This nave determination and soldier production is why World War One, like every other war, continued with such persistence. But what started World War One? Was it militarism that trained young men since they were kids to become soldiers, nationalism propelling a nation's pride forward, or was it neither? While both of those aspects could be potential reasons, they’re still not the main pillars of cause.
Ellis, Elizabeth Gaynor, and Anthony Esler. World History: The Modern Era. Boston: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.
The twentieth century was a time period characterized by conflicting ideologies and great dissension among countries; it also marked the onset of World War One in 1914. The origins of the "Great War," as the First World War has been called are open to a myriad of insightful and distinct interpretations. However, one interpretation which many historians alike have affirmed is that decisions were made by human beings; "They made them in fear and in trembling, but they made them nonetheless" (Stoessinger 2). More specifically, the diplomatic decisions made by European leaders in crucial events subsequent to the death of Franz Ferdinand initiated the Great War.
Nationalism is the idea that a people who have much in common, such as language, culture and geographic proximity ought to organize in such a way that it creates a stable and enduring state. Nationalism is tied to patriotism, and it is the driving force behind the identity of a culture. Nationalism had many effects in Europe from 1815, The Congress of Vienna and beyond. In the following essay I will describe many of the consequences of nationalism on European identity, as well as some of the conflicts that it created.