Source A: Excerpt from a British diplomat's report, 1914

'The alliance system created a web of commitments that made it difficult for countries to remain neutral in the event of conflict. Countries were tied to each other through treaties, increasing the risk of a small crisis escalating into a larger war.'

Provenance: Report written by Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary, 1914.

Source B: Chart of Alliances, 1914

Note: The Triple Entente included France, Russia, and Britain. The Triple Alliance included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Provenance: Historical chart from a 1914 political atlas.

Source C: Analysis by a historian, 1930

'The alliance system transformed a regional conflict into a world war by drawing multiple countries into the crisis following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.'

Provenance: Historian's analysis in a history textbook, 1930.

Source D: Speech by a European diplomat, 1914

'The alliances are vital for our security; without them, we are vulnerable to aggression.'

Provenance: Speech delivered at a diplomatic conference, 1914.