... participate in the actual fighting. There are four main long-term causes for World War 1 all of which can be explained better in political terms rather than human terms. They are: Alliance Systems: From the end of the Franco-Prussion War a system of secret alliances developed in Europe. These alliances were eventually the cause for splitting the continent into two hostile sides. The reason why nearly every country in Europe was involved in the war when it finally did erupt was because so many different powers were involved in mutual defense agreements. Due to the alliances, some powers were forced to support policies followed by their partners, which they really didn't condone. Lastly, the secret alliances began to suspect and believe that far more secret agreements existed, then was in fact, the case. Competition: the competition for colonies was another source of international antagonism. The great powers sectioned off Africa among them, ...

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