World War I

Europe Commits Suicide

1914-1918

Victoria 1817-1901

• During the 1800s, Great Britain’s Queen Victoria sought to marry her children and grandchildren to the leading royal houses in Europe. It was her hope to create a family connection that would lead to peace and security in Europe. What happened was that by 1914 Europe was at war with itself and Victoria’s family was at war with itself. When peace finally came in 1918 – over 15,000,000 people were dead.

Causes of World War I

• Nationalism – the sense of unity that led to the creation of Germany and Italy in the 1800s proved to be the same force that tore apart Austria-Hungary.

• In 1867, after the Austrian Empire was defeated by Prussia, various ethnic groups in the Austrian Empire began to demand the right to rule themselves – nationalism.

• The largest of these ethnic groups was the MAGYARS in present day Hungary. In 1867, the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef agreed to create a DUAL MONARCHY – where he remained emperor over the Magyars/Hungarians – but the Magyars were given more SELF DETERMINATION. The empire was then known as AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

• When Hungary was granted more rights – it inspired other ethnic groups in Austria-Hungary to demand their rights. These groups included:– Croats– Serbs– Poles– Slovenes– Czechs– Slovaks

• Despite the growing problem of nationalism in the Austro-Hungarian Empire – the Austrian capital of VIENNA was the center of culture in central Europe. Its writers, painters, artists, and musicians were some of the best in the world. Johann Strauss the composer and Sigmund Freud the father of psychiatry were Austrians.

• On the eve of World War I – Austria-Hungary was ruled by the elderly Emperor Franz Josef. Their heir to his throne was his nephew the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It would be Ferdinand’s assassination that started the war!

Emperor Franz Josef

• Nationalism also was a factor in the problems faced by the Russian Empire. Since the days of Peter the Great, Russia had grown to include millions of new people from various cultures. In the European part of Russia many of these ethnic groups struggled to gain their own independence from the repressive government of the tsars. Some of these ethnic groups were:– The Poles– The Ukrainians– The Finns– The Estonians– The Latvians– The Lithuanians

• Another cause of World War I was the growing demand for political rights in the old empires of Europe – especially the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Both empires included ethnic groups wanting SELF-DETERMINATION as well as people who demanded democracy and civil rights.

Pan-Slavism

• Russia saw itself as the protector – the “big brother” of the Slavic peoples controlled by the Austrians and Ottomans. Russia wanted to unite all Slavic people under its leadership – this was called Pan-Slavism. It placed Russia against Austria and the Turks.

Nicholas II

• Nicholas II was similar to Louis XVI of France. Both were in charge of nations that needed more reform than they could provide. Both monarchs were emotionally and intellectually incapable of doing the right thing to save their nations. Both were married to unpopular foreign princesses (Nicholas II was married to Alexandra – granddaughter of Queen Victoria). Both Nicholas II and Louis XVI would meet the same sad ending.

Tsar Nicholas II

• First cousin to George V of Britain• Cousin to Kaiser Wilhelm II• First cousin to the king of Greece• Cousin to the queen of Romania• Cousin to the king of Belgium• Married to ALEXANDRA

– Granddaughter of Victoria

MILITARISM

• One important cause of World War One was the rivalries that developed between the European powers in the mid and late 1800s. The relative peace that existed between the European powers in the days after the Congress of Vienna was replaced by intense notions of national pride that lead to rivalries for political, social, economic and most importantly – military dominance.

• This saw the rise of MILITARISM – the glorification of military power combined with an extreme sense of national pride. This new militarism – combined with an almost absurd national pride was called JINGOISM.– We don’t want to fight,– but by jingo, if we do,– we’ve got the ships,– we’ve got the men,– we’ve got the money too.” British song 1870s

Theories of Militarism

• American naval officer – ALFRED THAYER MAHAN wrote books stating that a nation’s well being and prosperity was based on its military power – especially its naval power. His ideas helped push Germany, Great Britain, France, and the United States into quickly modernizing and expanding their navies.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

The Alliance System

• When Germany was created as an empire in 1871, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck feared that the new nation was vulnerable to a two front war with France in the west and Russia in the east. To protect Germany, he organized the TRIPLE ALLIANCE in 1882 with Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Each nation pledged to defend the others if attacked.

• In 1890, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany fired Bismarck. Unfortunately, this removed Bismarck’s understanding of balance from Germany’s foreign policy.

• Since Wilhelm II was cousin to Tsar Nicholas II as well as the Tsarina Alexandra – many people thought that the cousins would never bring their nations to war.

• Tsar Nicholas II• Alexandra• Kaiser Wilhelm II• Queen Victoria

• Russia had its own problems with Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. Slavic peoples in both empires looked to Russia for leadership. Russia felt that it had to protect the Slavs under Austrian and Ottoman control. These Slavic peoples lived in the south-eastern corner of Europe known as the BALKANS.

• The Triple Alliance also frightened Russia into making an alliance in 1894 with France.

• The Germans felt surrounded when the Russians and French signed their alliance in 1894. They developed a plan to fight both France and Russia – the SCHLIEFFEN PLAN. They would take out France quickly and then attack Russia. Their confidence in this plan made the Germans cocky. German Field Marshall Alfred von Schlieffen stated, “Attack is the best defense.”

Schlieffen

Great Britain

• For most of the 1800s, Great Britain was at peace with its European neighbors – PAX BRITANNIA. This allowed Great Britain to build a powerful empire in Africa and Asia. British ships ruled the seas – BUT they had challengers by 1900.

• Great Britain was forced by reality to recognize that the United States was the leading power in the western hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean.

• Great Britain was worried about Japanese naval power in the Far East – but developed diplomacy that used Japan to keep Russian advances in Asia in check.

• Great Britain could not find a compromise with the growing economic and military power of Germany. Germany wanted dominance in Europe as well as the seas. Great Britain saw this as a direct threat to its naval power. As an island nation, Great Britain was always wary of any nation that could threaten its access to the sea and other nations. Again, people felt that since Wilhelm II was the grandson of Queen Victoria – things would be alright. Victoria was one of the few people in the world who could control Wilhelm II.

More Alliances

• 1904 Great Britain and France sign the ENTENTE CORDIALE – which linked the two nations.

• While the English and Russian monarchs were cousins – many people in England disliked the tsar and saw his government as brutal and repressive. (which it was!) Despite this, the common fear of German made the British and French ask the Russian to join them in an alliance in 1907 – the TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

• When Britain signed an alliance with Russia – the ancient enemy of the Ottoman Empire – the Turks looked to Germany for an alliance – from “Berlin to Baghdad”.

• Far from Queen Victoria’s hope for a united and peaceful Europe – by 1907 Europe was split into two camps – waiting for a fight.

• European leaders trying to

• contain the problems in

• the Balkans (1912)

The Balkans

• In the 1800s the Ottoman Empire began to lose its possessions in Europe. Nationalism led many groups to fight for independence – such as Greece in 1830. Loss in warfare let other parts leave the Ottoman Empire. By 1912, Ottoman lands had been lost in order to create SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, ALBANIA, BULGARIA, and ROMANIA.

The Question of Bosnia and Herzegovina

• The two Ottoman provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908 were annexed by Austria into its empire.

• !!!!Serbia had wanted the provinces so that it could have access to the Adriatic Sea

• !!!!Austria feared that a strong Serbia would encourage parts of the Austrian Empire to develop nationalism and rebel.

• !!!!Russia was an ally of Serbia (PAN-SLAVISM) and Russia tried to support Serbia against Austria.

• !!!!Germany supported Austria against Serbia and Russia.

Serbian Nationalism

• Tiny Serbia reacted with great hatred toward Austria because it annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina. One Serbian newspaper wrote:

• “Serbs, seize everything you can lay hands on – knives, rifles, bombs and dynamite. Take holy vengeance! Death to the Habsburg dynasty!”

28 June 1914 Sarajevo

• On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand – the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire – visited the Bosnian town of Sarajevo with his wife Sophie. As the royal couple started to leave their car at one stop, a Serbian named Gavrilo Princip stepped out of the crowd and shot the couple to death.

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand• and family

• the • assassin• Princip

• Princip was a member of the BLACK HAND – a Serbian nationalist organization. He had the backing and support of the Serbian military intelligence. The Serbian military had just assassinated the heir to one of the major European powers – just as all of Europe was split into alliances and on the edge of war.

What happened next?????

• 1. Austria wants to declare war on Serbia but is afraid that Russia will come to the aid of Serbia.

• 2. Germany gives Austria a “blank check” when it assures Austria that Germany will support it if Russia declares war on Austria.

• 3. 28 July 1914 Austria declares war on Serbia.

• 4. Russia mobilized its forces – not just along its border with Austria – but with its border with Germany.

• 5. Germany demanded that the Russians removed their troops from its border. Russia refused.

• 6. 1 August 1914 Germany declared war on Russia.

• 7. Afraid that France will come to Russia’s aid, Germany quickly declares war on France. German implemented the Schlieffen Plan in order to knock France out of the war quickly.

• 8. The Schlieffen Plan called for Germany to invade France through the flat land of Belgium rather than through the Alps. Germany asked the king of Belgium permission to cross the neutral nation. He responded, “Belgium is a country, not a highway.” and he refused.

• 9. 4 August 1914, Great Britain honored its mutual defense obligations and declared war on Germany. The British Royal Navy began a blockade of Germany in the North Sea.

• 10. Despite its treaty with Austria, Italy tried to remain neutral. Italy soon switched sides and joined Great Britain and France.

• 11. THE ALLIED POWERS – Great Britain, France, Italy, and Russia

• 12. THE CENTRAL POWERS – Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria

• 13. Millions of young men join armies throughout Europe. There were scenes of celebration as most thought the idea of war – great fun. Many feared the war was going to be over before they got there. Wilhelm II told his troops that they “would be home before the leaves fell from the trees.”

• Not everyone was so confident or happy. The British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey said, “The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” He was correct.