The causes of World War I are often remembered by the acronym MANIA. Which items are included in MANIA?

• A. Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
• B. Monarchy, Alliances, Neutrality, Imperialism
• C. Militarism, Anarchy, Neutrality, Isolationism
• D. Military, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Armistice

Answer: (A)

Understanding this mnemonic helps explain why World War I began: MANIA stands for Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, and the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The first four are long-term forces that created a tense European environment—militaries and arms races (militarism), a network of treaties drawing nations into conflict (alliances), intense pride and rivalries among nations (nationalism), and competition for colonies and global power (imperialism). The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the immediate spark that set those alliance commitments into motion and led to widespread mobilization and war. The other options include terms that aren’t part of this familiar mnemonic, such as neutrality, isolationism, or end-of-war terms, so they don’t fit as well.