Discuss the main causes of the First World War and explain why the League of Nations failed to preserve world peace.

Here are the answers to Section C: Question 22: a) Five causes of the First World War: Militarism: An intense arms race among European powers, particularly between Germany and Britain, led to a build-up of large armies and navies, increasing tensions. Alliances: The formation of two rigid and opposing alliance systems – the Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) – meant that a conflict between two nations could quickly escalate. Imperialism: Competition for colonies and resources in Africa and Asia created rivalries and conflicts among European powers, such as the Moroccan Crises. Nationalism: Strong feelings of national pride and a desire for self-determination among various ethnic groups, especially in the Balkans, fueled tensions and irredentist movements. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: The immediate trigger was the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir by a Serbian nationalist, leading to Austria-Hungary's ultimatum to Serbia and subsequent declarations of war. b) Five reasons why the League of Nations failed to preserve world peace: Lack of enforcement power: The League did not have its own army and relied on member states to enforce its decisions, which they were often unwilling to do, especially against powerful aggressors. Absence of major powers: The United States, a key global power, never joined the League, and other significant nations like Germany and the Soviet Union were initially excluded, undermining its universality and authority. Unanimous decision-making: The requirement for unanimous votes in the League's Council meant that a single member could veto action, making it difficult to respond decisively to crises. Self-interest of member states: Major powers like Britain and France often prioritized their own national interests and security over collective security, leading to policies of appeasement rather than confrontation with aggressors. Failure to address aggression: The League proved ineffective in stopping acts of aggression by powerful nations, such as Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and Italy's invasion of Abyssinia in 1935, which exposed its weaknesses and encouraged further aggression. Question 23: a) Three chartered companies used by European powers to acquire colonies in Africa: British South Africa Company (BSAC)* Royal Niger Company* German East Africa Company* b) The political impact of the partition of Africa by European powers: Loss of African sovereignty: African states, kingdoms, and communities lost their independence and self-governance, becoming subjects of European colonial rule. Traditional political structures were often dismantled or severely undermined. Arbitrary borders: European powers drew artificial boundaries that often cut across existing ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups, while also grouping disparate communities together. This created internal divisions and laid the groundwork for future conflicts within newly formed states. Imposition of new administrative systems: Colonial powers introduced centralized administrative systems, either direct or indirect rule, which replaced or significantly altered traditional leadership roles and legal systems. This led to the erosion of indigenous political authority. Emergence of new political elites: Colonial education and administrative roles created a new class of educated Africans who, while initially serving colonial interests, later became leaders of nationalist movements advocating for independence. Divide and rule tactics: Colonial administrations often exploited existing ethnic rivalries or created new ones to maintain control, fostering divisions that persisted long after independence and contributed to political instability. Suppression of political dissent: Colonial rule was often authoritarian, suppressing any form of political opposition or nationalist movements through force, restrictive laws, and imprisonment, limiting political freedoms for Africans. That's 2 down. 3 left today — send the next one.