The Causes of World War I

1. The Causes of World War I In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms: Nationalism Imperialism The Alliance System Militarism

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3. World War I • World War I began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary • Central Powers- Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire • Allied Powers- Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States

4. MANIA • Militarism • Assassination • Nationalism • Imperialism • Alliances

5. Militarism • the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests • Ideas that a nation should maintain a very strong military began to spread before WWI • New technologies led to an arms race between world powers • Militarism dominated governments and military spending • Industrial revolution aided militarism • Governments could now spend millions on new weapons and amass great numbers of soldiers for their militaries

7. Assassination • Tensions in Europe before WWI were high • In 1914 the Archduke of the Austria-Hungarian Empire, Franz Ferdinand, was in Serbia • Austria-Hungary controlled Serbia and Ferdinand was there speaking about control over Serbia • A member of a Serbian nationalist group called the “Black Hand” assassinates Franz Ferdinand while he was stopped in his car • Serbian nationalist name was Gavrilo Princip

8. In 1914, Austria’s Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated by Slav nationalists. Austrians believed that Serb officials had helped the assassins

10. Nationalism • Nationalism encourages national independence between people of different ethnic groups or cultures • Nationalism can be similar to patriotism • Having patriotic thoughts or principles • Feeling of superiority over other nations • Advocates for independence of nations • Drove a wedge between nations all throughout Europe • Each believing they should be independent and in some cases that they were superior to others

11. Nationalism encouraged rivalries among Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. Nationalism also led to the creation of new independent nations in the Balkans: Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Albania. E. Napp

12. Imperialism • Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force • European powers competed for control or power over other nations throughout the world • Also competed to control nations in Europe • i.e. Austria-Hungary controlling Serbs • European nations had control over others in Africa • German colonies threatened British imperial control and industrial power

13. Austria-Hungary, however, still consisted of many different ethnic groups, most of which wanted their own national states. These demands threatened to break the empire apart.

14. Serbs wanted to liberate Serbs still under Austrian rule, found in the southwest of Austria-Hungary. By annexing these regions, land-locked Serbia could also gain access to the Adriatic Sea.

15. The European powers had competing economic and political interests. German industrialization seemed to challenge British economic supremacy. Competition for colonies created further tensions.

16. Alliances • An alliance is an agreement between to nations to support one another • Economically • Militarily • Two, or more (a group), of nations agreed to certain terms • Trade with one another • Aide one another militarily • Defend one another if one is attacked • This made nations stronger if they joined together • Gave nations a sense of security

17. By 1914, Europe came to be divided into two large alliances. On one side stood Germany and Austria-Hungary. On the other side was Russia, France, and Great Britain.

18. Any dispute involving a country from one alliance threatened to bring in other countries.

19. Alliances • Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28th, 1914 • Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum to get rid of all Serbian Nationalism and unconditionally surrender to the control of A-H • Serbia refused because one of its allies was Russia • Russia assured Serbia that it would protect it from invasion from A-H • Austria-Hungary requested assistance from one of its allies, Germany • Kaiser Wilhelm II gave Austria-Hungary a “blank check” on July 5th, 1914

20. Domino Effect • System of alliances led to a global war between two different groups of alliances • Central powers vs. Allied powers • In July of 1914 Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia • Because Russia was an ally of Serbia, it declared war on Austria Hungary • Germany was A-H ally so it declared war and attacked Russia • France was Russia’s ally so it declared war on Germany • Germany attacks France but travels through Belgium • Belgium’s ally was Great Britain so it declared war on Germany

21. German Schlieffen Plan • German strategy was to use all of its forces to attack France first then focus on Russia • In order to attack France as fast as possible it traveled through Belgium in order to get to France • This brought Great Britain into the war

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23. Trench Warfare • Although there were major advances in military technologies military leaders were inexperienced with the new technology • Used outdated military tactics • Dug thousands of miles of trenches, or ditches, across from one another • Over the top • No man’s land • Shelling

24. Trench Warfare • Conditions in the trenches were terrible • Rats • Dead bodies • Trench foot • Diseases • Shelling

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29. Questions to Reflection: • Why was the Archduke of Austria assassinated? • What was the alliance system and how did it lead to war? • Define militarism and discuss its role in World War I. • How did ethnic rivalries and imperialism lead to conflict?