Which of the following best explains how the alliance system contributed to the outbreak of World War I?

A. Alliances had limited trade, causing economic problems and spurring unrest.

B. Rival alliances had promoted tension rather than security.

C. Alliances had failed to prevent food shortages among affiliated nations.

D. Allies had been plotting to help each other conquer neighboring territories.

My Answer: D

It would be B, Rival alliances had promoted tension rather than security. I can't see how D would work, as the Allies never really conquered other territories; the Alliance system left Germany stranded between two large allies that could storm in at any moment; other countries had other alliances with each other that led to tension because of other nation's outlooks, if that makes sense. Like how Germany was allied to Austria-Hungary, and Russia had Serbia- when Serbia killed the Archduke, Germany as Austria-Hungary's ally encouraged them to fight back and declare war, which caused tensions with other nations as Russia came in, and soon Britain and France-

i just took the test and the answer to this particular question is B

Did you finish the test?

What were the answers?

I disagree, but re-read your text materials. They may agree with D even if I don't. :)

Ok, thank you for your input!

Do you finish the test?

To determine the best explanation for how the alliance system contributed to the outbreak of World War I, we need to carefully analyze the options provided.

Option A suggests that alliances caused limited trade and economic problems, leading to unrest. However, while economic problems did contribute to the tensions between countries, this option does not specifically address the alliance system's role in causing the outbreak of the war.

Option B states that rival alliances promoted tension rather than security. This option is more relevant as it directly addresses the effect of alliances on exacerbating tensions between nations and potentially leading to war. The formation of rival alliances indeed increased suspicions, created divided loyalties, and escalated conflicts among countries.

Option C argues that alliances failed to prevent food shortages, which is not related to the main cause of the outbreak of World War I. While food shortages and other resource-related issues were certainly factors in the war, they were more of a consequence rather than a causative factor.

Option D suggests that allies were plotting to help each other conquer neighboring territories. This option aligns closely with the concept of entangling alliances, secret treaties, and the desire for expansion and conquest, which were significant contributing factors to the outbreak of the war. Therefore, D is the most accurate explanation among the given options.

In conclusion, option D, Allies had been plotting to help each other conquer neighboring territories, best explains how the alliance system contributed to the outbreak of World War I.