The period 1914 to 1945 was the bloodiest and most destructive in European history. The period was characterized by wars, confrontations, and rivalry among nations. This rivalry led to World War I and World War II. Many people lost their lives during this period as nations rose against each other, property worth millions destroyed, and Europe’s hegemony lost (Heyman 32). The once mighty Europe was divided into two influential spheres. There emerged “Soviet” and Western spheres of influence, each pursuing different ideologies. The period 1914 to 1945 is the bloodiest in the history of Europe since it is the period in which World War I and World War II occurred. World War II alone claimed approximated 22 million military and 40 million civilians, the highest number of casualties ever (Kirk 46). There are many reasons that drove Europe to war and brutal killings. Some of the reasons were misunderstandings among leaders that had lasted for decades, while others were a result of spontaneous reaction to aggression from other nations. Though it is not possible to point a single reason for the aggression witnessed in Europe around 1914 to 1945, the following factors must have contributed greatly to the war. Formation of alliances by the countries played a great role in triggering the bloody war. Tension among European countries had long existed. However, the rise of nationalism and imperialism furthered the tension among states forcing them to seek alliance with states considered friendly for fear of attack. Other countries soon “joined the race and formed alliances” to further their interests too (Martel 78). Germany first joined Austria-Hungary and were later joined Italy to form the Triple Alliance. Russia soon joined France to work together and protect each other if attacked. The Triple Entente Alliance was finally formed in 1904 when Britain joined France and Russia. With support from alliance members, the countries were definitely craving for war. It was not long when the war begun pitting the Triple Alliance against the Triple Entente Alliance. Frankly, if the alliances never existed, the war could have been avoided. The tension that existed that eventually led to the European wars was also a result of imperialism. Imperialism pushed countries to colonize other countries and to form political empires that acted as overseas states for raw materials and market for finished products. From the 15 th century, European countries had begun colonizing other countries for industrial inputs and markets. However, the main contest came in 1870 when Britain, France, Italy and Germany almost clashed in the scramble for North American territory (Heyman 38). The same problem reoccurred in Africa as the scramble for partition continued. Many countries were discontent with their possessions while other like British had conquered too much for it to control. This led to a bad feeling among the nations, which also contributed to the war. Rise of nationalism in the states was another reason for the war. People who spoke the same language, had a common historical origin, and cultural beliefs, viewed each other as family. This “family” feeling bonded them together and made them support their nation