How did imperialism increase the battlefield of the war

Imperialism affected World War I in several ways, such as shaping political alliances between nations engaged in the war and by diverting attention away from domestic issues and towards economic improvement achieved by nations gaining control of African lands. Britain, the United States, Russia and Germany acted as key players by engaging in imperialism during World War I. They sought to gain critical resources and establish an international presence through imperialism, which also allowed them to gain political control