Militarism
Militarism is the idea of a nation establishing a large, strong military, in a sense it is the glorification of the military.
In the years before WWI broke out, rivalries were building between nations regarding the strengths of their militaries.
In the years before WWI broke out, rivalries were building between nations regarding the strengths of their militaries.
The (Naval) Arms Race
The arms race was a competition amongst several nations (including Russia, Germany, France, and several others) in which these nations attempted to build up larger numbers of naval weapons and superior armies. The arms race was costly, to say the least, and primarily involved the development of Dreadnought-class ships (a type of vessel first developed by Great Britain's Royal Navy, it featured heavy armored plating, heavy caliber guns, and coal/steam propulsion). Germany had the most prominent development in technology. Sensing this, the United States, along with other nations, began building up their naval resources, fearing the prospect of war. This tense battle is considered to have began as far back as 1906, and was a major factor in the cause of the First World War.