<P> In the introduction to his book, Waterloo in 100 Objects, historian Gareth Glover states: "This opening statement will cause some bewilderment to many who have grown up with the appellation of the Great War firmly applied to the 1914--18 First World War . But to anyone living before 1918, the title of the Great War was applied to the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars in which Britain fought France almost continuously for twenty - two years from 1793 to 1815 ." In 1911, the historian John Holland Rose published a book titled William Pitt and the Great War . </P> <P> During the 19th century, the major European powers went to great lengths to maintain a balance of power throughout Europe, resulting in the existence of a complex network of political and military alliances throughout the continent by 1900 . These began in 1815, with the Holy Alliance between Prussia, Russia, and Austria . When Germany was united in 1871, Prussia became part of the new German nation . Soon after, in October 1873, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck negotiated the League of the Three Emperors (German: Dreikaiserbund) between the monarchs of Austria - Hungary, Russia and Germany . This agreement failed because Austria - Hungary and Russia could not agree over Balkan policy, leaving Germany and Austria - Hungary in an alliance formed in 1879, called the Dual Alliance . This was seen as a method of countering Russian influence in the Balkans as the Ottoman Empire continued to weaken . This alliance expanded in 1882 to include Italy, in what became the Triple Alliance . </P> <P> Bismarck had especially worked to hold Russia at Germany's side in an effort to avoid a two - front war with France and Russia . When Wilhelm II ascended to the throne as German Emperor (Kaiser), Bismarck was compelled to retire and his system of alliances was gradually de-emphasised . For example, the Kaiser refused, in 1890, to renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia . Two years later, the Franco - Russian Alliance was signed to counteract the force of the Triple Alliance . In 1904, Britain signed a series of agreements with France, the Entente Cordiale, and in 1907, Britain and Russia signed the Anglo - Russian Convention . While these agreements did not formally ally Britain with France or Russia, they made British entry into any future conflict involving France or Russia a possibility, and the system of interlocking bilateral agreements became known as the Triple Entente . </P> <P> German industrial and economic power had grown greatly after unification and the foundation of the Empire in 1871 following the Franco - Prussian War . From the mid-1890s on, the government of Wilhelm II used this base to devote significant economic resources for building up the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy), established by Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, in rivalry with the British Royal Navy for world naval supremacy . As a result, each nation strove to out - build the other in capital ships . With the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906, the British Empire expanded on its significant advantage over its German rival . The arms race between Britain and Germany eventually extended to the rest of Europe, with all the major powers devoting their industrial base to producing the equipment and weapons necessary for a pan-European conflict . Between 1908 and 1913, the military spending of the European powers increased by 50% . </P>

What was the end of world war 1