Opening Activity

1. Opening Activity • In your journal, list what you know about World War I. Things to think about: • Who was in it? • Why did it happen? • How was it different than previous wars? • Who won? • How did it change America forever? You can use sentences, bullet lists or diagrams – what ever works best for you. • Title the writing WWI Warm Up 1.

2. Origins of World war I 1871 - 1914 Mr. Goddard | PLUSH | February 2009

3. Causes of WWI - REMEMBER mania • Militarism – policy of building up strong military forces to prepare for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. • Alliances - agreements between nations to aid and protect one another • Nationalism – pride in or devotion to one’s country • Imperialism – when one country takes over another country economically and politically • Assassination – murder of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

4. The Central Powers • Germany – Triple Alliance • Austria Hungary – Triple Alliance • Italy – Triple Alliance • Turkey Ottoman

5. Geopolitics of the 1800s • Balance of power was maintained through diplomacy and occasional wars. • The players were France, Britain, Austria-Hungary and Russia. • Germany and Italy were not nations until the second half. • Nationalism swept Europe in the second half of the 1800s.

6. Before WWI the map changed • Notice the changes to Germany and Italy. • Lets explore what happened…

7. Germany unites 1871 • Under the foreign policies of Bismarck. Germany began to unify under Prussian leadership.

8. GERMANY GROWS • The creation of a single German state had been a long-standing ambition of most German-speaking peoples. This was achieved under the leadership of Prussia • France had been the dominant European power before the creation of Germany. France had tried to stop unification by going to war with Prussia in 1870. She was humiliatingly defeated. • Germany took the French provinces of Alsace & Lorraine. • France wanted revenge. Germany made sure her armed forces were stronger than France’s

9. ITALY UNITES 1860 • Under Cavour, Italy changed from a bunch of little states to a full nation. • Wanted lands in the Balkans. • Not meaningful in the war.

10. Austria-Hungary • Sick man at the European Empire party. • She was defeated by Prussia in 1869. • Pushed out of Western Europe and weakening the Austria-Hungary empire focused influence in Balkan area of southern Europe. Franz Joseph

11. Ethnic grouping • The Austria-Hungary empire was a mess with a lot of internal divisions and decreasing ability to control its holdings. • It had tons of different people with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

12. The Allies • France • Russia • Britain • Later the United States

13. What's up with France • French Revolution • Napoleon • Dominant European power on land for almost 200 years. • French defeat by the Germans was humiliating for French pride. • She wanted revenge and began building up her armed forces.

14. To the east - Russia • Russia was France’s most powerful continental rival during the Napoleonic Wars. • She turned East and expanded into Asia • Russia was a mess. She remained a peasant society while everyone else industrialized • Her rulers or Tsars were wacky and ruled the people by oppression • Later dropped out of War due to Communist Revolution

15. GREAT BRITIAN • First country to industrialize. Big advantage and was rich and powerful. • Huge colonial holdings, over ¼ of earth’s territory. “The sun never set on the British Empire” • With such a large empire the navy was her source of military strength. • Britain cared about protecting and developing her trade. • Britain stayed out of European political and military affairs. Only involved when she felt the “balance of power” was threatened.

16. So what changed? • 1888 Kaiser Wilhelm II took over ruling Germany. • He was obsessed with Germany becoming a WORLD power. • His actions increased tensions and distrust. • He got rid of Bismarck. • Everyone was worried about their actions. • Germany was building troops to complete with France and then started building a Navy.

17. The naval Race 1906 - 1914 • Germany challenged Britain’s naval supremacy. • Germany used to be close to Britain. England’s, Germany’s and Russia’s rulers were related. • Wilhelm’s ambitions for a world empire soured relations. Germany would need to build a large navy in order to acquire colonies. • Britain was alarmed and there was a major naval arms race between them. • By building a strong naval, Germany caused Britain to join France and Russia in the “Triple Entente” dreadnought

18. The arms race both land and sea • Total Defense Expenditures for the Great Powers [Ger., A-H, It., Fr., Br., Rus.] in millions of £s (British pounds). 1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures • France • 10% • Britain • 13% • Russia • 39% • Germany • 73%

19. Military standoff • By 1914 large armies were facing each other on the continent of Europe.

20. Everyone had picked sides

21. And then…. • Turkey (Ottoman Empire) was even weaker than Austria Hungary. • Turkey was losing control of the Balkans. • Austria-Hungary and Russia wanted in • Unfortunately many had just won independence and were not interested in being taken over again by a larger empire. • Serbia was a prime example and this caused a major rivalry with Austria-Hungary

22. But wait there is more…. • July 28th 1914 Arch-Duke Ferdinand from the Austrian-Hungary Empire was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo.

23. Austria Acts • 6/28/14 Assassination…. • 5/7/14 Kaiser William II promises German support for Austria against Serbia. • 7/28/14 Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia and Russia since they supported the Serbians. • 7/29/14 Austria-Hungarian troops invade Serbia.

24. Russia Acts • 7/29/14 Russia invades Austria Hungary • 8/1/14 Germany declares was on Russia

25. Germany acts • 8/2 Germany invades Luxembourg • 8/3 Germany declares war on France • 8/4 Germany declares war on neutral Belgium. Britain and Canada declare war on Germany. • U.S. neutral????

26. All European powers are at war • Only a little over two months, why so fast? • Military build up: since the beginning of the 1900s most of the countries had been building armies and deploying them. • Alliances: the connection between Germany and Austria made their movements predictable. The results of their actions forced the actions of France and England. • Imperialism most of the central powers had something to gain.

27. Hypothesize • Based on your understanding of Europe in this period, answer the following question: • Would the war eventually happened if the Arch Duke wasn’t assassinated?

28. REMEMBER mania • Militarism – policy of building up strong military forces to prepare for war and their use as a tool of diplomacy. • Alliances - agreements between nations to aid and protect one another • Nationalism – pride in or devotion to one’s country • Imperialism – when one country takes over another country economically and politically • Assassination – murder of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

29. US Concerns at this point • Pros and Cons? • What were the military resources of the nation? • Army • Transport • What did the people of the United States want? • Ethnic mix • Loss of life • Diplomatic • Monroe Doctrine • TR Club • Who to support? • Economic • Trade • Was our industry/economy set to support a war?

30. Homework • Read Chapter 11 Section 1 “World War I Begins” • Pay special attention to pages 377 to 380! • Work on Reading Guide