what contributed to Rising tensions among industrialized nations in the Years leading up to World War 1

Militarization and alliances were some of the factors in rising tensions.

Competition for overseas territories in Africa and Asia also contributed to the rising tensions.

The days leading up to the Great War (World War I) were full of imperialistic competition overseas, as well as military buildup and military planning within Europe. The countries of Europe also began lining up with one another in alliance systems as well.

The excessive competition between nations in seeking overseas territories in Africa and Asia was not only a part of the tension leading up to World War I. The extension of European power into those other world regions also explain why it became a "world war." When the war broke out, the European nations brought native peoples from their colonies to join in the war effort.