Nationalism - Essay

“I am not a criminal, for I destroyed a bad man. I thought I was right."¹

This was the last word that Gavrilio Princip made after he performed assassination in Sarajevo, the man who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His fatal shot derived almost whole Europe into chaos for five years.
World War One, as we all know, it is the first large-scale military war which was centered in Europe. During these five years, millions of people (especially young men) were killed and injured. Overall, 30 millions of people were killed and wounded.² How this tragic event had happened? Most people claimed that it was because of assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was the immediate trigger of the war. However, considering the long chronic and insoluble conflict between countries in Europe, it can be also said that nationalism was one of the main cause of the World War One. Then, the question must be asked, is nationalism really the main cause of the World War One?
Therefore, in this essay, the focal point will be set on nationalism in Europe. Firstly, I will start the essay by defining the word nationalism, and briefly explain the nationalism in different countries in Europe in early twentieth century. Then, by analyzing the religion, ideology and culture of the countries I will emphasize the point it was inevitable that people became hostile toward their neighboring countries. Finally, the essay will end by demonstrating the road to the war.

Nationalism is love of one’s native land which shows person’s royalty to his or her country. However, if it is too fiery and excessive, it can cause hatred towards other countries. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the mood of fiery nationalism swept Europe. Popular anthems, flags, parades and newspaper articles all helped to feed this blind and dangerous nationalism.
In Europe, the Balkans was considered as the most dangerous region of nationalism for three reasons. Firstly, there were many ethnic...