On the brink of the first world war, many established countries in Europe raced towards 20th century modernity through a lens of industrialization. One aspect that caused countries to form alliances with each other even before the beginning of the first world war was each country’s ability to industrialize. Industrialization was a key factor in each country’s relationship with modernization. In Germany’s case, their heightened industrialization caused the formation of another alliance-the Dual Entente. Russia, who was large, organized, and dangerous, greatly feared the newly industrialized German military, and immediately made plans to create an alliance with France. On page 10 of “The First World War” by Michael Howard it states, “Germany already saw herself surrounded by enemies. When Bismarck created the German Empire in 1871, he knew very well that the natural reaction of her neighbors would be to unite against her…” (Howard 10). Through modernist movements, the military in Germany became increasingly important. Second to the German Empire, the British Empire worked hard to increase its industrialization to compete for the most powerful country in the world. Through modernism, each country began a race to the top before the world was ravaged with war.