a new world order – imperialism & wwi united states history

A NEW WORLD ORDER IMPERIALISM & WWI UNITED STATES HISTORY

MAIN CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I M ilitarism A lliances I mperialism N ationalism

A NEW IMPERIALISM

Europe in the late 19 th Century: Europe spread control over 10 million miles 2 Thats 1/5 of the worlds land & 10% of its total population What was different? Europeans were no longer content to tax and administer an area as it had done before. Instead, they tried to raise production & lower costs by applying western industrial and scientific methods.

BEGINNINGS OF A NEW IMPERIALISM The move toward imperialism began only in the late 19 th century because most European countries had been stung by the loss of their overseas colonies. For example: England with her American colonies & the Spanish with South America. Moreover, Europeans had been influenced by the free trade ideas of Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations, 1776) that suggested colonies were not necessary.

REASONS FOR IMPERIALISM Overpopulation Not a Factor in Imperialism The settlement of overpopulation in colonies was also not very important. Between 1875 and 1914, 36 million Europeans emigrated; more than 2/3 coming to the United States largest migration in the history of the world. France was the second largest single receiver of immigrants in the world. Need for Control European countries needed to protect their investments by establishing political control. Investment of capital (already produced durable goods/assets used in production of goods & services) was more important for Britain than for France or Germany. Raw Materials & New Markets Europeans needed raw materials they could not produce at home to fuel the second industrial revolution. Colonies were less important as markets because they were not rich enough to be good markets for the industrial manufactured goods Europe produced. Huge profits were to be made overseas.

NATIONAL PRESTIGE, NOBILITY, & IMPERIALISM A sense of excitement drove Europeans into colonization, as did strategic concerns to protect the valuable colonies they already had. Some colonies were there strictly for national prestige. Example: German colonies in Africa had almost no economic significance. NAMIBIA?!

DEVELOPMENT OF IMPERIAL RIVALRIES As European countries competed for colonies abroad, rivalries emerged Britain vs. Russia Britain was concerned to avoid Russian influence in the eastern Mediterranean. To that end, she fought the Crimean War, and in 1882, seized Egypt to avoid the loss of the Suez Canal, a vital link to British colonies like India. Britain & Greece Britain did not want Russian naval power out of the Black Sea and this meant British support for Greece. Russians responded by using pan-Slavism (unity of all Slavic peoples) to the Slavic countries of eastern Europe.

THE RIVALRY CONTINUES EAST Britain vs. Russia The rivalry continued in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. This became more strident following the discovery of oil in the region. Additionally, Britain strengthened India to keep the Russians from moving farther south. And Britain also gave aid to Tibet and Afghanistan to keep them from falling into the Russian orbit.

A GENERAL AGREEMENT In 1907, a general agreement was worked out between Britain and Russia on spheres of influence Why?! Germany.

IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA Africa proved to be a place to play out imperial schemes without disturbing the peace of Europe. In 1875, after centuries of contact, Europe had no more than 10% of African land. 25 years later, 7 European nations controlled over 90% of the continent. An Economic Goldmine: Gold Diamonds Rubber Coffee

EUROPEAN DIVISIONS OF AFRICA The divisions Europeans made in Africa for their convenience were made without reference to tribal divisions and without reference to tribal forms of government. This sometimes meant that very hostile tribes would find themselves in the same country after it achieved its independence following World War II. This would later breed endemic terrorism. The great number of political entities in Africa (at least 10,000) mean that Europeans were able to take advantage to pit one group against another and so, divide and conquer.

IMPACT OF IMPERIALISM Imperialism did create peace where intermittent warfare had existed before. Imperialism did advance the economies of the subject peoples as well as providing more effective public administration. ------ This peace came at the price of expropriation of land and goods for the exclusive use of the imperialist elite. Europeans, for the most part, failed to train indigenous peoples to take over after them, and Europeans were responsible for widespread destruction of cultural patterns.

IMPERIALISM AND IDEAS OF WAR As wars were fought in far away places, were too easy, and were almost always won by the Europeans, imperialism gave Europeans a skewed idea of war. This idea of war, helps to explain the ease with which Europe drifted into World War I.

PRELUDE TO WORLD WAR I

Germany Otto von Bismarck After the Franco-Prussian War, Bismarck was convinced a military option was too dangerous. He sought to build up an alliance system that would isolate France and thus prevent war. Kaiser Wilhelm II Took the throne in 1888, however, dismissed Bismarck and took over the running of his own foreign policy. He almost immediately created ill will with the Russian tsar, and France moved quickly to woo Russia with loans and arms purchases.

BRITAIN VS. GERMANY Navy Buildup Britain feared German domination of the continent, and when in 1898 Germany decided to build a navy large than anyone else. Britain began to prepare for an eventual war. Germany had long had the most powerful army on the continent. The addition of a navy would allow Germany to transport that army over the Channel and attack Britain, or go worldwide and attack British colonies. German naval supremacy threatened British livelihood as the raw materials and finished goods critical to the British industrial revolution came and went by sea.

BRITISH DIPLOMACY Japan Britain broke her traditional diplomatic isolation to sign an alliance with Japan in 1902, freeing up her fleet to concentrate on Europe. France In 1904, the British and French buried the hatchet and signed the Entente Cordial. Russia In 1907, the British signed an alliance with Russia, temporarily settling issues of spheres of influence between them.

GERMAN REACTION Due to British diplomacy, Germany was terrified of encirclement with Britain and France on the one side and Russia to the other. Germany sought out her only reliable ally: Austria-Hungary to the South. This would prove disastrous as Serbia in the Balkans was allied with Russia in one alliance system, but surrounded by Austria-Hungary in the other.

WORLD WAR I ALLIANCES

ENTANGLING ALLIANCES During this period, the major powers of Europe began forming alliances with one another. These alliances called the signees to come to each others aid in the event of an attack on one. The Triple Alliance Britain France Russia The Triple Entente Germany Austria-Hungary Turkey (Ottoman Empire)

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ACTIONS In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, an area traditionally held by Turkey. Following the disastrous Russo-Japanese War, Russia was in no position to stop the annexation, although she did protest loudly. Serbs tried to get Austria-Hungary out of the area. Serbia attempted to form Yugoslavia, the Union of Southern Slavs. Austria-Hungary feared this revolutionary movement, having no intention of allowing Yugoslavia to be formed? http://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/943E6C8B-C642- 4A70-B898-DA17A375A94C

a new world order – imperialism & wwi united states history

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