causes of wwi (2007)

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World History, Culture and Geography

Causes of WWICauses of WWI

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Long Term Causes - NationalismLong Term Causes - Nationalism

• Starting with the French Revolution• National identities become important, desire

dominance and prestige• 1871 Germany and Italy become nations – they

want to catch up with Britain, France• Pride in country partly based upon industrial

capacity, colonies

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Long Term Causes - IndustrializationLong Term Causes - Industrialization

• 1850’s on sees industrialization spread to continental Europe

• Economic competition between nations begin – Germany quickly gaining on Britain

• Transportation, communication, and military advances continue

• Need for markets and raw materials => imperialism

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Long Term Causes - ImperialismLong Term Causes - Imperialism

• Nationalism and industrialization tied to colonial holdings

• Competition for colonies increases tensions

• European nations military, political, and economic domination of Africa and Asia build confidence

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Long Term Causes - MilitarismLong Term Causes - Militarism

• Between 1870 and 1914, European nations increase military spend by 400%

• Many believed war was coming, began preparing

• German, Russian Generals extremely powerful

• Arms race developed

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Short Term CausesShort Term Causes

• Entangling alliances pull everyone into the war

• Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy)

• Germany secretly told Austria-Hungary they would support them no matter what happened – called the “blank check”

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Short Term CausesShort Term Causes

• Triple Entente (England, France, and Russia) – Treaty of Friendship

• France was concerned about Germany’s growing military

• England was concerned with Germany’s navy

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Precipitating EventsPrecipitating Events

• Moroccan Crisis between France and Germany

• Balkan Wars between 1912-13 raised tensions between Russia, Serbia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary

• Balkans considered the “Powder Keg of Europe” – so many countries had national interests in the region

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The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect

• In June 1914, Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, travels to Sarajevo with his wife to review the Austrian Hungarian army on maneuvers.

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The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect

(1) June 28, 1914 – Austrian Archduke Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia

A nineteen year-old member of the Black Hand, Gavrilo Princip, jumped from the sidewalk onto the Archduke's car and fired 2 shots. The Archduke and his wife were killed.

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Austria-Hungary issues an ultimatum to the Serbian government in order to allow Austrian forces to investigate the assassination and stop anti-Austrian activities in Bosnia

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The Domino Effect:The Domino Effect:War Starts . . .War Starts . . .

2) Serbia refuses the ultimatum, Austria-Hungary declares war

(3) Russia mobilizes an army to defend Serbia

(4) Germany declares war on Russia

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The Domino EffectThe Domino EffectWar Starts . . .War Starts . . .

(5) France declares war on Germany

(6) Germany invades Belgium to attack France

(7) Britain declares war on Germany

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The Domino Effect:The Domino Effect:War Starts . . .War Starts . . .

• Italy decides that its chances to gain land are better with France, Britain, and Russia. Italy abandons its pre-wartime alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary and joins the war on the side of France, Britain, and Russia.

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• Most of the fighting takes place in Western Europe, even though the conflict started in the Balkans in Eastern Europe

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Fighting spreads to the colonies as well Fighting spreads to the colonies as well =global war!=global war!