Underlying Causes of World War II It may seem like wars start suddenly, for no reason, but there is usually a bigger story. New policies, lack of equality, military influence, and too much government involvement usually favor peace initially. These transform the country or region into a “powder keg”, ready to explode into war at the slightest spark. Although the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark for World War I, the policies of the time such as nationalism and militarism were the underlying causes of the war. Nationalism influenced people's thinking about war, making them believe that their government and military were supreme. and would win a war quickly. Because "most European countries, with the exception of France and Prussia, had experienced no major wars in the 19th century, they entered the 20th century thinking they were safe from defeat. This idea of ​​immunity grew as countries forgot their past wars and suffering. The British trusted their naval forces, the Germans trusted their weapons and ships, and the Russians believed their land was protected by God. Citizens firmly believed that their country was the best and that they would do anything to help it. It has become a schoolboy's duty to enlist in the army after graduation. As Erich Maria Remarque says in his book All Quiet on the Western Front, the “young men of twenty years of age… whom Kantorek calls the ‘iron youth’” were those sent to war in Germany. Their teachers instilled this message in their minds from a young age. The boys were told it was their duty to their country to fight. Zara Steiner, a British historian, recounted that British teachers were told to "teach boys that success comes from the middle of a sheet of paper......Works CitedBeck, Roger B.. History of modern world: models of interaction. Text by the student and written by the teacher. Orlando, Florida: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co., 2012. Print. “Impact of the First World War on the Weimar Republic. » Impact of the First World War on the Weimar Republic. Np, and Web. April 6, 2014. .Note, Erich Maria and AW Wheen. All is calm on the western front. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1929. Print. “Steiner, Dr. Zara Shakow (1928–). » Steiner, Zara. Np, and Web. April 7, 2014. “World War I.” World War INp, nd Web. April 6, 2014."World War I." World War INp, nd Web. April 6. 2014..