2 November: the First World War
Monday 2 November 2026
GS Paper 1 · 250 words · 15 marks
How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for preservation of balance of power?
(UPSC Mains 2024, GS Paper 1, Q12)
You have eleven minutes. Write your answer before you read anything below.
Open only after you have written
How to approach this question
The directive. How far asks for a measured verdict. Say early how much of the war the balance of power explains. Then test the word essentially.
A shape that works in 250 words.
| Part | Words | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 35 | Your verdict: partly correct, and where it stops |
| The case for | 70 | The two blocs, and why Russia and Britain joined |
| Nationalism | 40 | The trigger and Alsace-Lorraine |
| Militarism and rivalry | 40 | The naval race, the Schlieffen Plan, Morocco |
| War aims | 30 | What the powers fought for once the war began |
| Conclusion | 35 | The verdict again, with a reason |
Material you can use.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1871 | Germany takes Alsace-Lorraine from France |
| 1882 | Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy |
| 1894 | Franco-Russian alliance |
| 1904 | Entente Cordiale: Britain and France |
| 1905 and 1911 | Moroccan crises |
| 1906 | HMS Dreadnought launched. Naval race speeds up |
| 1907 | Anglo-Russian Convention |
| 28 June 1914 | Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo |
| 1915 | Secret Treaty of London promises Italy territory |
| 1916 | Sykes-Picot Agreement divides Ottoman lands |
Mistakes to avoid.
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Listing every cause with equal weight | Rank them against the claim |
| No verdict | State one in the first lines and the last |
| Stopping in 1914 | Use war aims to test what the war was fought for |
A model answer
The claim is partly correct. The balance of power explains why a Balkan crisis became a European war. It does not explain why the crisis began, or what the powers fought for later.
The case for. By 1907 Europe was split into two blocs. The Triple Alliance of 1882 joined Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. France and Russia allied in 1894, and Britain joined them through the Entente Cordiale (1904) and the Anglo-Russian Convention (1907). Russia mobilised to stop Austria-Hungary dominating the Balkans. Britain entered when Germany invaded Belgium, partly to stop one power controlling the Continent.
Nationalism. The trigger was the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Bosnian Serb nationalist on 28 June 1914. Slav nationalism threatened Austria-Hungary itself. France wanted back Alsace-Lorraine, lost in 1871.
Militarism and rivalry. The naval race after the Dreadnought (1906) bred mistrust. The Schlieffen Plan meant attacking France through Belgium, which left little time for diplomacy. The Moroccan crises of 1905 and 1911 showed imperial rivalry.
War aims. Once fighting began, the powers sought gains. The secret Treaty of London (1915) drew Italy away from its allies with promises of territory. The Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) divided Ottoman lands.
The balance of power turned a local war into a general one. Nationalism, militarism and imperial ambition started it and kept it going. The League of Nations, set up in 1920, tried to replace the balance of power with collective security.
Word count: 236.
| Where | What earns credit |
|---|---|
| Opening | A verdict with its limit |
| Body | The claim's case first, then the causes it misses |
| Conclusion | Ranks the causes and points to what came after |