French Revolution: While far removed from the First World War, the French Revolution began the wave of nationalism and liberalism in France, and by extension, Europe.

This event did not just make war a possibility, but instead a certainty. The rest of Europe were monarchist states, and the apparition of a liberal democracy threatened their very existence - they responded by preemptively invading France.

Nationalism became the defining long term cause of the Revolution as a result of heightened devotion to France, as well as the rise of social darwinism within the country.

Liberalism applied to this event. This represented an overthrow of the monarchy, what the entire de facto conservative order stood for, and the overthrow of the monarchy was done because of the belief that the people can govern themselves, an opposite ideal to that of conservatism.

Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna was formed to prevent war as much as possible, but could not do so completely since war was deeply entrenched in European history and nature. Conflicts and incidents occurred, but these were negligible compared to the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War, events that this Congress was formed to prevent.

All long term causes except imperialism applied to this event. The Congress tried as best as possible to make sure that European nations had good alliances, did not do preemptive military build ups, and prevent spikes in nationalism in events such as the French Revolution.

Liberalism carried on through the Congress in its explicit endorsement of individual rights and Napoleonic ideals.

Revolutions of 1848

The Revolutions were liberal in that they were focused on obtaining individual rights for the people and restricting/overthrowing the established conservative order - monarchies.

The long term causes had little to no effect.

The Revolutions had an effect on war in the long term. Many of the movements had been brutally suppressed, and while they were staved off for long, it created a societal undercurrent that eventually exploded into the First World War.

Austro-Prussian War

The War was significantly affected by nationalism and militarism. The desire of a strong military skyrocketed after the war, and the desire to establish a unified German Empire increased significantly as well.

The war made the possibility of a unified German Empire that much more feasible and possible, something that became a reality a mere five years later.

This was very much a conservative event as it reinvigorated the desire for a greater Prussian military and the creation of a German empire - the reunification of Germany.

Franco-Prussian War

This was a conservative victory. The Germans had defeated the French and managed to bring all of Germany into a reunified empire.

Nationalism and Militarism soared once more, as they did after the Austro Prussian War.

It solidified the Franco-Prussian rivalry that developed into the First World War in the years to come.

Unification of Germany

The unification of Germany made the possibility of a German superpower real, and in the eyes of the other European powers, threatened the delicate balance of power in the continent.

This was very much a conservative event in the same vein as the Franco-Prussian War. Otto von Bismarck was an ardent conservative, and this event was conservative as it brought the rest of the German Confederation under conservative German rule.

This was not really a case of imperialism, but rather a case of nationalism. Aside from Alsace-Lorraine, Germany did not take any territory, and the taking of Alsace-Lorraine was more symbolic than practical. The people of Prussia were impressed after their military trounced that of France, and as a result, they supported a strong military, more so than before.

Alliances

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These events were not particularly conservative or liberal, as they were more nationalistic. Furthermore, nationalism is not mutually exclusive in to liberalism or conservatism.

The Alliances bore the closest definition to alliances, which was the allying of different European powers, be it between Germany and Austria Hungary or between France and Russia.

These events contributed much to World War 1 since it began the "us versus them" mentality between the European leaders and populace, and polarized countries in alliances different from others.

Bulgarian Crisis

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This event brought Europe to the brink of war. It dragged every other major power - the Ottoman, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Prussian Empires - into a crisis over something that was initially believed to have only been between the Balkans.

Nationalism applied most to this event because the Bulgarian rebels wished to establish their own nation, free and independent from the Ottoman Empire. Alliances also applied to this event since Germany chose the interests of Austria Hungary over Russia's in this crisis.

As with most events leading up to WW1, this was a conservative event because it involved the interests of the Bulgarian nationalists, who were by and large, conservative.

Removal of Bismarck

No major, long term cause applied with the same intensity to this event. The only long term cause that really applies is militarism - the Kaiser and the German populace as a whole were getting impatient and tired of Bismarck's slow and patient moves in power, and wanted decisive, military action.

While the Kaiser was conservative, Bismarck was conservative as well, and therefore makes it difficult to judge from the perspective of conservatism vs liberalism.

It is difficult to decide whether Bismarck's removal accelerated the move toward war. While Bismarck would have avoided making Germany's severe errors during Weltpolitik, he might have still taken a hawkish stance in the years after 1890 had he remained in power.

Franco-Russian Military Alliance

The only long term cause on display in this event was the case of alliances - this event was the forging of an alliance between France and Russia, and it had little to do with the other long term causes.

Liberalism and conservatism had little to do with this.

This absolutely made war more likely. It showed that Russia was now the public enemy of Germany and France would take a more heavy handed approach to Germany's actions.

Start of Weltpolitik

This made war far more likely. Germany started a policy of trying to expand its influence into as many corners of the world as possible, nearly all of which would be in direct conflict and contrast to the other European powers, and this was done in an abrasive and poorly thought out manner.

This was a case of imperialism and nationalism. This was a poor attempt at trying to revitalize Germany's foreign policy after Bismarck.

This was done by conservatives like the Kaiser and others who wished to expend their influence throughout the rest of the globe, hence the name Weltpolitik.

Anglo Japanese Treaty.

This event had little to do with either liberalism or conservatism.

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This was largely as a result of the cause of alliances. England wished to ally with Japan to help contain the advances of the Russian Empire.

It did not make war with Germany that much more likely, but it did play a role in Russia's war with Japan in 1904 to 1905.

Serbian Russian Alliance

The long term causes were alliances and nationalism. Nationalism sprung from the belief of a pan Slavic alliance, and the alliance sprung from that belief.

It was definitely more of a conservative event. This was because the nations were conservative and the Slavic alliance was something that many conservatives had long advocated for.

This caused the acceleration towards war as it made Russia far more involved in the affairs of the Balkans, and that any event that occurred there would no longer have a guarantee of being localized.

Entente Cordiale

It had little to do with conservatism and liberalism.

This was an event for alliances, where the UK and France allied with each other to keep Germany in check.

This contributed to war because France was not only agreeing to fight alongside Russia, but the UK as well. It made Germany very concerned and continued to polarize the two sides.

First Moroccan Crisis

This had little to do with conservatism and liberalism specifically

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Alliances, Nationalism, Militarism

It made it more likely because it drew Germany and France to the brink of war. Germany tried to interfere in what was agreed to be a diplomatic issue that was only France's.

Anglo Russian Relations

Alliances, Militarism

These events were conservative because it involved the allying of conservative powers and leaders against Germany.

It solidified the alliance between the UK, France, and Russia, setting the stage for the First World War.

Bosnian Crisis

Conservatism, since it involved the taking over of another country by a conservative power.

Militarism, Nationalism, Imperialism

It started the controversies that eventually led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Second Moroccan Crisis

Nationalism, militarism, imperialism

This was not particularly a liberal or conservative event.

It further soured relations between France and Germany, which accelerated the First World War.

Creation of the Balkan League

Nationalism, alliances

It was a conservative event. While it was meant to deter a conservative power, it was merely done for nationalistic, not for conservative purposes.

It increased the possibility of war since it made the Ottomans believe that the Balkans were allying against them.

First Balkan War

Nationalism, militarism

It was a conservative event because it involved the union of many conservative governments in the attempt to drive the Ottomans out of Eastern Europe.

It did not necessarily make war more likely as it was more of a localized conflict.

Second Balkan War

Nationalism, Militarism

This was not a conservative or liberal event in particular.

Since it was a localized conflict, it did not make the possibility of war significantly more likely.

Assassination of Archduke

Nationalism

This was a conservative event. While Ferdinand, who was a conservative, was assassinated, this was a victory for the conservative nationalist groups of the Balkans.

It skyrocketed the possibility of war. Austria Hungary was furious that a group of extremists that were apparently affiliated with the Serbian government had assassinated the heir apparent to the Austro Hungarian throne.

Blank Cheque

Militarism, Alliances

This was not a conservative or liberal event in particular.

This increased the possibility of war further as it was a guarantee that Germany would support Austria Hungary in a hypothetical war with Serbia.

Ultimatum to Serbia

This was not necessarily conservative or liberal.

Austria Hungary was on the verge of going to war with Serbia, and wanted revenge for something that they believed the Serbian government had done.

Nationalism, Militarism

Russian mobilization

This was not necessarily a conservative or liberal event.

Militarism, Alliances

The Russian Empire stated that it would go to war if Serbia was invaded, but wanted to avoid war as much as possible.

Implementation of Schlieffen Plan and Invasion of Belgium

These events were not particularly liberal or conservative.

Militarism.

This was the effective start of war in Europe. As a result of Germany invading Belgium instead of directly attacking France, the UK went to war with Germany, thus drawing the lines clearly for the war.