Causes of World War I

1. Causes of World War I

2. long-term Causes of WWI (Intro.) • Imperialism • Nationalism • Militarism • Alliances

3. Imperialism • Expand empire to become more powerful > need military to control and defend territory • Countries dispute territories far away > increased possibility of fighting to resolve disputes • Colonial rivalry > increased tension

4. How did imperialism cause WWI?

5. How did imperialism cause WWI? Colonial rivalries and the desire to defend territories increased tension in Europe.

6. Militarism • Desire to protect overseas colonies > military buildup • Race to buildup navies (esp. in Britain and Germany) • Increased arms stockpiles • Focus on creating modern weapons • Increasing strategic infrastructure (esp. railways)

7. 1850 1913

8. How was militarism a cause of WWI?

9. How was militarism a cause of WWI? Tensions caused European countries to build up massive armies and stocks of weapons so countries were ready to fight. This buildup only escalated the tension in Europe. Also, both sides felt invincible and were convinced the war would be quick and decisive.

10. Nationalism • Two types of nationalism: • 1. desire of subject people for independence • 1871 – France loses territory of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany • 2. desire of independent nations for dominance • Great Britain has largest overseas empire – competition with other European countries

11. How was nationalism a cause of WWI?

12. How was nationalism a cause of WWI? Many groups felt that Europe’s borders did not reflect their national allegiances which led to militant nationalist groups and fighting over territory. Conservative leaders within countries feared revolutions and saw war as a way to suppress internal dissent.

13. How was nationalism a cause of WWI? Pride in ones country led many men into war, even against their better judgment. Nationalist propaganda before the war had created hatred between different countries, justifying war.

14. Alliances • Why would European countries feel the need to create alliances in the early 20th century?

15. Alliances • Why would countries feel the need to create alliances? • Military buildup > countries feel threatened • Desire for peace > alliances to prevent war

16. How were alliances a cause of WWI?

17. How were alliances a cause of WWI? • Tension becomes heightened over time • Sometimes alliances are secret – countries become suspicious • Germany and Austria-Hungary are surrounded by allied countries – becomes defensive • Alliances draw other countries into war quickly, even if the starting event is small and unimportant

18. Why 1914? • These tensions had been building for decades… so why now? • Austria-Hungary wants to assert its authority in the Balkans. • Russia wants to reestablish its military prestige after losing to the Japanese in 1905 (and maintain social order over the peasants). • France wants to win back Alsace-Lorraine • The German Kaiser wanted to avoid civil unrest from the growing socialist movement

21. The single event • June 28, 1914 – Serbian nationalist/terrorist GavriloPrincip assassinates the heir to the Austrian throne, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand

23. escalation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfxrTD-kPps

24. escalation July 28: Austria declares war on Serbia July 29: Russia (allied with Serbia) begins to mobilize. July 31: Germany (allied with Austria/afraid of Russia) institutes the Schlieffen Plan to invade France and neutralize it, then turn to fight Russia August 1: France begins to mobilize August 4: Germany invades Belgium to get to France August 4: Great Britain (allied with Belgium) declares war on Germany

25. Attempts to avoid war • Throughout the period of June-July, 1941 many European countries, led by Great Britain, attempted to avoid war. • However, the tensions and competition in Europe had grown too great and neither side trusted the other to uphold their end of the agreement and didn’t want to be left behind when war began. • So, even though most of Europe wanted to avoid war, all of Europe went to war.