Road Map to Success: World War I World History II

1. Road Map to Success: World War IWorld History II World War I was originally called the Great War as was thought to be “the war to end all wars.” It started because of numerous complexities such as: militarism, imperial competition, alliances and a surge in nationalism. Eventually the Balkans (an area near Greece and Italy) and Europe became a so-called ‘powder keg’ waiting to explode. And it did. The Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination sparked the powder keg and the world exploded into war. The world went to war at first with great pride and glory. But soon, warfare turned brutal as technology had surpassed traditional warfare strategy. This led to enormous loss of life, stalemate and contributed to the fall of governments in Germany and Russia. When the smoke cleared, Europe had been devastated. The League of Nations was set up to settle disputes and differences but the league proved to be ineffective. Therefore, wounds never healed and tensions mounted again. The Great War wasn’t over. It really had only begun. You will master the following learning standards: WHII.17Describe the relative importance of economic and imperial competition, Balkan nationalism, German militarism and aggression, and the power vacuum in Europe due to the declining power of the Russian, Austrian, and Ottoman Empires in causing World War I. WHII.18Summarize the major events and consequences of World War I. “War is a series of catastrophes that results in a victory.” -Georges Clemenceau