Question

background information: when the war was over, germany was forced to sign the treaty of versailles, and take full responsibility for starting the war. this excerpt is part of germany’s response to that treaty. it is demanded of us that we shall confess ourselves to be alone guilty of the war. such a confession from my lips would be a lie. we are far from declining all responsibility for the fact that this great world war took place or that it was fought in the way that it was... but we energetically deny that germany and its people, who were convinced that they fought a war of defense, were alone guilty. no one would want to assert that the disaster began only at that disastrous moment when the successor of austria-hungary fell a victim to murderous hands. in the last fifty years, the imperialism of all european states has chronically poisoned international relations. policies of retaliation, policies of expansion, and disregard for the right of peoples to determine their own according to the excerpt, what were the causes of world war i? check all that apply. □ russia’s mobilization □ the spread of disease □ the assassination of the archduke □ imperialism and expansion □ the growth of britain’s naval forces

Explanation:

1. Russia’s mobilization: Russia's mobilization was a factor as it escalated tensions leading to war, and the excerpt's context (post - Treaty of Versailles, Germany's response) relates to the broader causes including such mobilization.
2. the assassination of the archduke: The excerpt mentions "the successor of Austria - Hungary fell a victim to murderous hands", referring to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was a trigger for the war.
3. imperialism and expansion: The excerpt states "the imperialism of all European states has chronically poisoned international relations" and mentions "policies of expansion", so this is a cause.
4. the growth of Britain’s naval forces: Naval arms races, including Britain's naval growth, were part of the pre - war tensions related to imperialism and expansion, contributing to the causes of the war.
5. the spread of disease: There is no mention of disease as a cause of World War I in the excerpt or in historical context of the war's causes, so this is not a cause.

Answer:

• Russia’s mobilization
• the assassination of the archduke
• imperialism and expansion
• the growth of Britain’s naval forces