Long Term Causes of World War One (WW1)

Outline the main Long term causes of WW1

Long Term Cause 1. Militarism

• In 1898, Germany set out to create a navy twice the size of Britain’s.

• In 1906, Britain launched the HMS Dreadnought, considered to be the most powerful ship afloat.

• German engineers soon began copying this design, leading to further tension.

• There was therefore an arms race between Britain and France on one side and Germany on the other…this eventually led to WW1.

MILITARISM IS WHEN A GOVERNMENT SPENDS MORE AND MORE OF ITS MONEY ON BUILDING UP ITS MILITARY

AN ARMS RACE IS WHEN GOVERNMENTS COMPLETE WITH EACHOTHER TO BUILD BIGGER MILITARIES.

EVIDENCE OF MILITARISM

A MAP OF THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

GERMAN HAD A PLAN TO MOBILIZE ITS MILITARY IF IT WAS ATTACKED BY FRANCE IT WAS CALLED THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN >

Long Term Cause 2. Nationalism

• In Europe before 1914, governments encouraged their populations strongly committed to the wider country.

• Children were encouraged to view other nations rather than their own as the source of their own problems.

• Children were taught at school that the size of a nations army equated to how strong that nation was compared with other.

• The Serbian people desired their own independent nation, but the Austria-Hungarian Empire would not give in to that desire.

• There was therefore general support for violence & war as a solution to national problems before 1914.

NATIONALISM IS WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE PASSIONATELY DESIRE TO CREATE & MAINTAIN THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT NATION

EVIDENCE OF NATIONALISM

A BRITISH WAR TIME PROPAGANDA POSTER. YOU WERE CONSIDERED A GOOD BRITISH CITIZEN IF YOU WERE COMMITTED TO FIGHTING FOR YOUR COUNTRY (NATIONALISM).

Long Term Cause 3. The Alliance System• Increasing national rivalries within and beyond Europe

resulted in nations forming two rival alliances.• From 1907 onwards, the major powers were all members of

one of these two rival power blocs.• Britain joined with Russia and France in an alliance known as

the Triple Entente• While Germany was linked with Austria-Hungary and Italy in

the Triple Alliance.• These agreements increased nations’ sense of strength and

protection and fostered the fear and mistrust of the nations that did not belong to them.

• There was therefore two opposed teams ready to declare war on eachother when the moment arose.

EVIDENCE OF THE TWO OPPOSING ALLIANCES

A MAP SHOWING THE TRIPLE ENTENTE (ALLIES) AND THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE (CENTRAL POWERS).

Long term cause 4. Imperialism

• By the year 1900 the British Empire had grown to include over five continents, whilst France controlled large areas of Western Africa.

• With the spread of the industrial revolution from England into western Europe countries compete for colonies overseas so they could import raw materials (tea leaves) and export finished products (tea).

• The amounts of land ‘owned’ by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who only began acquiring colonies in Africa in the late Twentieth Century.

• The desire for empire (imperialism) therefore, was another reason for the increased tension between the Great Powers in Europe before WW1.

IMPERIALISM IS WHEN A POWERFUL NATION TAKES CONTROL OF OTHER NATIONS CREATING THEIR OWN EMPIRE.

EVIDENCE OF IMPERIALISM (EMPIRE)A MAP OF THE OVERSEAS EMPIRES OF EUROPEAN POWERS, January 1914.