World War I Begins

Chapter 8 Section 1

Long Term Causes

• Nationalism- National interests and unity should be placed ahead of global cooperation

• Imperialism- Expanding power and influence

• Militarism- The development of armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy

• Alliance System- Treaties of assistance

Nationalism

• France v. Germany• France still angry over

Alsace and Lorraine in 1871Franco-Prussian War

Nationalism

• Russia v. Austria-Hungary

• Russia considered itself protectors of Slavs (including Serbians)

• A-H also wanted influence over Serbia

Nationalism

• Other ethnic groups ruled by other nations wanted a nation of their own…

• (Poland)Germany and A-H

• (Czechs) A-H-not even allowed to use their own language

Imperialism

• Germany, France and Britain competing for colonies

• Germany got into the game later than Britain and France

Militarism

• By 1890-Germany strongest nation in Europe-strong military

• Britain not worried at first-protected by navy

• 1897-Germany decides to become major naval power

• France, Italy, Japan and the U.S. quickly joined the naval arms race

The Dreadnought

Alliance SystemAllies vs. Central Powers

Assassination Leads to War

• Balkan Peninsula-The “Powder keg of Europe”

• Germany wanted to use it to expand RR to Ottoman Empire

• June 28, 1914-Archduke Franz Ferdinand Assassinated

• Gavrilo Princip-assassin

• Black Hand-wanted to unite all Serbs

Assassination

War

• A-H declares war on Serbia- July 28, 1914

• Then Russia entered to help Serbia

• Germany entered to help A-H – declared war on Russia’s ally France

• France’s ally Britain declared war on Germany and A-H

War Begins-The Schlieffen Plan

• German War Plan• Hold Russia• Quickly attack France

• Through Belgium

– Once France was defeated Germany would then defeat Russia

Fighting Begins

• Germany easily takes Belgium

• British and French retreat to Marne River

• Make stand-halt German advance

Problem

• By spring of 1915- Stalemate develops on Western Front

• Trench warfare is initiated

• Trenches- covered northern and eastern France

• Fought for mere yards

• No Man’s Land- Area between the trenches– Dangerous– Muddy– Craters– Barbed Wire

Slaughter

• Huge casualties• Example-Battle of the

Somme • Begins July1, 1916• Ends November 1916

• British lose 60,000 on FIRST DAY!

• Germans lose 650,000

• British lose 420,000• French lose 200,000• About 1.2 million total

Caused by the Machine Gun

Eastern Front

• Germans and Russians took turns advancing and retreating

• Battle in the Dardanelles went on for a year-ended in trench warfare

It seemed as though neither side could gain a decisive

victory