In this post I will list the major belligerence of World War One and provide a brief (as brief as I can) explanation as to why that nation participated in the war. One thing to keep in mind about World War One is that at the beginning almost all the participants were eager and enthusiastic start the war.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (who was heir t...he throne) was the trigger for starting the war but it was not the root cause. The root cause is that that Austro-Hungarian Empire desired increased influence in the Balkans (Southeast Europe). Serbia was a small weak independent Balkan nation bordering Austro-Hungary. The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was done by a Serbian and gave the Austro-Hungarian Empire the justification it was looking for to launch a war against Serbia allowing it to forcibly install a pro-Austro-Hungary government or take control of it outright and make it part of the Empire. The problem was that Serbia had close ties with Russia. Who would certainly come to Serbia's aid if attacked. So Austro-Hungary reach out to Germany to counter the Russian threat. With Germany on its side it believed it could defeat Russia in a war. That would mean that Austro-Hungary could easily defeat Serbia (and any other Balkan Allies who supported Serbia) and a defeated Russia would not have the strength or will to interfere with further Austro-Hungarian expansion into the Balkans.
The German Empire:
A unified German nation was a relative new comer to European politics (it was formed in 1871). In many ways it had become the most powerful nation in continental Europe. But it was late to the "imperial game" and most of the rest world had fallen under the direct or indirect control the other European powers. Germany felt like it was cheated out of the opportunity to have profitable overseas colonies. Additionally it felt like it was not take seriously by the other European powers in international affairs and felt threatened by a hostile France to the west, a hostile Russia to the east and a hostile United Kingdom controlling the seas to the north. When Austro-Hungary approached Germany about a joint war with Russia this offered Germany the opportunity it was looking for. Germany believed it could defeat Russia easily with help from Austro-Hungary. With Germany's rival to the east defeated it could turn its full attention to France which it was confident it could defeat if it did not have to worry about Russia. A defeated France would be forced to surrender some of its overseas colonies to Germany as a concession. With Germanys rivals to the east and west defeated and with control of former French colonies, Germany would be in a position to compete with the United Kingdom (at that time the worlds super power) economically, politically and military. The Austro-Hungarian Empire's offer of assistance with a war with Russia was all that Germany needed to start down this path.
The Russian Empire:
The Russian Empire had close political and social ties to Serbia in 1914 (as it does in 2014). Russia viewed itself as the defender of all Slavic people. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, Russia's international prestige would be at stake if it did nothing. But more than that the Russian government was extremity unstable, the Empire was plagued with revolts. The opportunity of a war to defend a fellow Slavic nation was viewed as the perfect opportunity to heighten the Russian monarchy in eyes of the Russian people, inspire loyalty and perhaps function as a unifier of this increasingly fracturing Empire. Russia was confident it could win a war with Austria-Hungary and Germany as it had an alliance with France. With France to keep Germany occupied. Russia and Serbia could quickly crush the Austro-Hungarian Empire forcing the German Empire to surrender as it could not stand alone. Such a war was exactly what the Russian Empire thought it needed as a rallying cry to heal its internal strife.
The 3rd French Republic:
France was concerned about the growing power of the German Empire on its eastern border. It was eager to check its growth and the possibility of a war between Russia and Germany was the perfect chance to weaken Germany and restore the French military reputation following the defeats at the hands of Germany in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and regain territory lost to Germany during that war. A war with Germany with Russia as an ally seemed like a surefire way to regain this territory and to ensure that Germany would be weakened and less able to compete with France on the international stage.
The United Kingdom:
The United Kingdom was the most powerful nation on earth in 1914 and wanted to stay that way. Much of its strength came from it powerful navy that had no equal. But in the decades leading up to World War One Germany had been building a more and more powerful navy. There were fears that in a few more years it could rival the navy of the United Kingdom. That would allow Germany to be a major competitor in international politics and potential for Germany to interfere with colonies of the United Kingdom (a major source of its wealth) . A war against Germany while its navy was still weak could ensure naval dominance over Germany for decades and make sure that it could not become a competitor to the United Kingdom. Allowing it to maintain the status quo which had the United Kingdom as the lead nation in Europe (and consequently the world). So when Germany entered Belgium to invade France, the United Kingdom cited its treaty with Belgium as a rational it needed to declare war on Germany.
Other nations:
As war went on other nations would enter the conflict. The Ottoman Empire would join with Germany for an opportunity to gain territory from a weakened Russia and gain increased influence in the Balkans (which Germany and Austro-Hungary would allow in exchange for help in the war). Italy would be convinced to join on the side of the United Kingdom and France for the opportunity to take territory from Austro-Hungary. Japan would declare war against Germany to gain control of its Asian colonies. Finally late in the war the United States of America would declare war on Germany in response to Germanys aggressive actions to stop American support for France and the United Kingdom.
By the end of the war most nations on earth would fight on one side of the conflict or the other.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (who was heir t...he throne) was the trigger for starting the war but it was not the root cause. The root cause is that that Austro-Hungarian Empire desired increased influence in the Balkans (Southeast Europe). Serbia was a small weak independent Balkan nation bordering Austro-Hungary. The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was done by a Serbian and gave the Austro-Hungarian Empire the justification it was looking for to launch a war against Serbia allowing it to forcibly install a pro-Austro-Hungary government or take control of it outright and make it part of the Empire. The problem was that Serbia had close ties with Russia. Who would certainly come to Serbia's aid if attacked. So Austro-Hungary reach out to Germany to counter the Russian threat. With Germany on its side it believed it could defeat Russia in a war. That would mean that Austro-Hungary could easily defeat Serbia (and any other Balkan Allies who supported Serbia) and a defeated Russia would not have the strength or will to interfere with further Austro-Hungarian expansion into the Balkans.
The German Empire:
A unified German nation was a relative new comer to European politics (it was formed in 1871). In many ways it had become the most powerful nation in continental Europe. But it was late to the "imperial game" and most of the rest world had fallen under the direct or indirect control the other European powers. Germany felt like it was cheated out of the opportunity to have profitable overseas colonies. Additionally it felt like it was not take seriously by the other European powers in international affairs and felt threatened by a hostile France to the west, a hostile Russia to the east and a hostile United Kingdom controlling the seas to the north. When Austro-Hungary approached Germany about a joint war with Russia this offered Germany the opportunity it was looking for. Germany believed it could defeat Russia easily with help from Austro-Hungary. With Germany's rival to the east defeated it could turn its full attention to France which it was confident it could defeat if it did not have to worry about Russia. A defeated France would be forced to surrender some of its overseas colonies to Germany as a concession. With Germanys rivals to the east and west defeated and with control of former French colonies, Germany would be in a position to compete with the United Kingdom (at that time the worlds super power) economically, politically and military. The Austro-Hungarian Empire's offer of assistance with a war with Russia was all that Germany needed to start down this path.
The Russian Empire:
The Russian Empire had close political and social ties to Serbia in 1914 (as it does in 2014). Russia viewed itself as the defender of all Slavic people. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, Russia's international prestige would be at stake if it did nothing. But more than that the Russian government was extremity unstable, the Empire was plagued with revolts. The opportunity of a war to defend a fellow Slavic nation was viewed as the perfect opportunity to heighten the Russian monarchy in eyes of the Russian people, inspire loyalty and perhaps function as a unifier of this increasingly fracturing Empire. Russia was confident it could win a war with Austria-Hungary and Germany as it had an alliance with France. With France to keep Germany occupied. Russia and Serbia could quickly crush the Austro-Hungarian Empire forcing the German Empire to surrender as it could not stand alone. Such a war was exactly what the Russian Empire thought it needed as a rallying cry to heal its internal strife.
The 3rd French Republic:
France was concerned about the growing power of the German Empire on its eastern border. It was eager to check its growth and the possibility of a war between Russia and Germany was the perfect chance to weaken Germany and restore the French military reputation following the defeats at the hands of Germany in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and regain territory lost to Germany during that war. A war with Germany with Russia as an ally seemed like a surefire way to regain this territory and to ensure that Germany would be weakened and less able to compete with France on the international stage.
The United Kingdom:
The United Kingdom was the most powerful nation on earth in 1914 and wanted to stay that way. Much of its strength came from it powerful navy that had no equal. But in the decades leading up to World War One Germany had been building a more and more powerful navy. There were fears that in a few more years it could rival the navy of the United Kingdom. That would allow Germany to be a major competitor in international politics and potential for Germany to interfere with colonies of the United Kingdom (a major source of its wealth) . A war against Germany while its navy was still weak could ensure naval dominance over Germany for decades and make sure that it could not become a competitor to the United Kingdom. Allowing it to maintain the status quo which had the United Kingdom as the lead nation in Europe (and consequently the world). So when Germany entered Belgium to invade France, the United Kingdom cited its treaty with Belgium as a rational it needed to declare war on Germany.
Other nations:
As war went on other nations would enter the conflict. The Ottoman Empire would join with Germany for an opportunity to gain territory from a weakened Russia and gain increased influence in the Balkans (which Germany and Austro-Hungary would allow in exchange for help in the war). Italy would be convinced to join on the side of the United Kingdom and France for the opportunity to take territory from Austro-Hungary. Japan would declare war against Germany to gain control of its Asian colonies. Finally late in the war the United States of America would declare war on Germany in response to Germanys aggressive actions to stop American support for France and the United Kingdom.
By the end of the war most nations on earth would fight on one side of the conflict or the other.
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