WWI Alliances

M.A.I.N. Causes of WWI

Militarism• A country builds up its

weapons and military• May not use it

Alliance System• Countries agree to

help each other• Fight, give

supplies/money

M.A.I.N Causes of WWI

Imperialism• A stronger country

takes over a weaker country

Nationalism• Pride in your country

or nationality• You feel like you

belong to a group

Austria-Hungary

• Type of Gov: Monarchy/Emperor Franz Josef

• Relatives: Archduke Franz Ferdinand (nephew & heir)

-son committed suicide, wife & daughter dead

Austria-Hungary

• Alliances: they feared Russia so they allied with Germany in 1879

-sign a treaty with Italy & Germany in 1882 (This becomes the Triple Alliance)

Austria-Hungary

• Imperialism: they had just gained Bosnia and other Balkan countries

-took over Hungary

Austria-Hungary

• Nationalism: wanted to unite the “Austrian” race.

Serbia

• Alliance: Russia to protect themselves from Austria-Hungary

-also had used Russia’s help in freeing themselves from the Ottomans

• Nationalism: they wanted to reunite “Slavic” peoples/Serbs

-A-H had Bosnia, etc.

Germany

• Type Gov: monarchy/Kaiser Wilhelm II

• Relatives: 1st cousins (through father) King George of Great Britain

Germany

• Militarism:1. Building up arms-experimenting

with gases (secret)2. Want larger army3. Begin building up navy

Germany

• Imperialism: Arguing over Alsace-Lorraine with Germany (coal/iron)

Russia

• Type of Gov: monarchy/Tsar Nicholas II• Relatives: 1st cousins (through mom)

King George of Great Britain-wife Alexandra is granddaughter of late

Queen Victoria of England & she is related to almost every royal family but more importantly her father was German.

Russia

• Militarism: Fear German build up• Alliances: 1887 had one with

Germany but it lapses-1894-France 1907-Great Britain-this becomes the Triple Entente-ally with Serbia

Russia

• Imperialism: need a warm water port (want one near Mediterranean Sea)

-look to the Balkans for the port-before WWI had aided Serbs in

freeing themselves from Ottoman Empire

Russia

• Nationalism: change capital from St. Petersburg to Petrograd

• -feel language and culture is Slavic and want to unite Slavic people

France

• Type of Gov: Parliamentary system/Prime Minister Clemenceau

• Militarism: fear German build up• Alliances: 1894 look to Russia to

sandwich Germany-1904-treaty Great Britain• Imperialism: wants Alsace-Lorraine to

protect border with Germany.

Great Britain

• Type of Gov: monarchy/Parliament-King George V/ Prime Minister• Relatives: 1st cousins Tzar &

Wilhelm-cousins Queen Netherlands, King

Belgium-cousins to Tzar’s wife

Great Britain

• Militarism: always had the best navy (scared of Germany naval build up)

• Alliances: 1904-France-2nd treaty France & Russia 1907 -become Triple Entente (“friendly

understanding”)

Great Britain

• Imperialism: had an empire-India, Canada, Australia, South

Africa, etc. (means these countries are their allies in war)

Ottoman Empire

• Type Gov: Monarchy/ Sultan Mehmed V• Alliances: Germany will form an alliance

in 1914 to cut off Russia• Imperialism: lost part of their empire

early 1900s (Balkans, etc.)-own most modern day Middle East• Nationalism: unite all Muslim countries

Bulgaria

• Type Gov: Monarchy/ King Ferdinand• Alliances: ally Ottomans to get land

back from Romania• Nationalism: originally part of the

Ottomans but in 1912 separate along with Serbia, Greece, Albania, Montenegro

-they then argued over land and a 2nd war between Bulgaria and Romania (with Serbia, Montenegro, Greece) occurred

Romania

• Type of Gov: King Ferdinand

• Alliances: ally with Russia and the Allies to keep territory from Bulgaria

Italy

• Type of Gov: King Victor Emmanuel III/Prime Minister

• Alliances: original alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary

-neutral start of war-eventually become Allied Powers

The Event (Spark)

• Archduke & wife go to Sarajevo (Bosnia) for parade

• Serbian Anarchist group “Black Hand”

• Gavril Princip assainates the Archduke & his wife!

Who Cares????

• Austria Hungary declares war on Serbia

• Who has to come in and help Serbia?

• Russia!• Who comes in to

help A-H?• Germany!

• Who helps Russia?

• France!• Who helps

France?• Great Britain!

Who helps Germany?

• Ottoman Empire!

Schlieffen Plan

• Over 100 years old• Made by Count Schlieffen in

case Germany had to fight a two front war

• 1. Go through neutral Belgium & Luxumberg

• 2. Capture Paris • 3. Wheel around back

through Germany & resupply

• 4. Go to Russia• (Russia has a 6 week

mobility time)

Problem!!!!!

Solution!!!!

Why It Didn’t Work:

• 1. Belgium forces held off the Germans & delayed their entrance into Paris

• 2. Russia moved faster than expected

• 3. France are able to get their troops from Alsace-Lorraine border to Paris through taxi cabs & railroads

• THE GERMANS STUCK!!!• Solution? Trenches

It’s a World War!!!(1914-1918)