Question

How did the idea of nation-states and nationalism influence the desire for war during the world wars?

Answer 1

Instructions:
Explain nationalism and aggressive nationalism as the reasons for the world wars.
Under nationalism, you should cover:

• Patriotic feeling or a political ideology
• Love for one’s own country, hatred for the rest
• Spread of mutual distrust among European states during the 19th century.

Under aggressive nationalism you should cover the following:

• Impact of aggressive nationalism
• Pride in one’s government and military strength
• Examples of aggressive nationalism: Fascism (Italy) and Nazism (Germany)

Solution:

• The idea of the nation-state and aggressive Nationalism had a great role in influencing the desire for war during the world wars.
• Nationalism is a patriotic feeling or a political ideology that implies an individual identifying with one's nation or becoming extremely attached to it.
• The ideology of nationalism was a positive impulse. It was the foundation
• of modern nation-states and the force behind the unification of Germany and Italy.
• This was used to create pride in the mind and hatred towards other countries.
• It also helped in spreading mutual distrust among the European countries during the 19th century.
• Aggressive nationalism was also a major factor that led to WWI. It meant having extreme love for one’s own country and hatred towards the rest.
• The best examples of aggressive nationalism are the cases of Italy’s Fascism and Germany’s Nazism.