WWI MAIN CAUSES

MILITARISM

ALLIANCESIMPERIALISM

NATIONALISM

Strengthening of the military to compete with other countries for economic, political, and/or nationalistic reasons

MILITARISM

“RED FLAGS”Developing Alliances

Conscription

Increased Military Spending

Stockpiling Ammo

MILITARISM

William II, leader of Germany, began to strengthen the military, especially the navy

•Created competitions among countries

•Created uneasiness among countries

MILITARISM

England was alarmed by Germany’s naval increase, so they began to increase their naval power as well

Why?

MILITARISM

MILITARISM

Problem for Germany

prevented Germany from being able to defeat England during the war

ALLIANCES

Agreements among countries to back each other should a conflict break out

Otto Von BismarckRealpolitikBlood and IronFranco-Prussian War

1871 German Empire (2nd Reich) formso Bismarck wanted to preserve the

empireo Alliances

ALLIANCES

ALLIANCES

1879 Dual Alliance1882 Triple Alliance1887 Reinsurance Treaty

1888 William II leader of GermanyForces Bismarck to resignEnds treaty with Russia

ALLIANCES

TRIPLE ALLIANCE

TRIPLE ENTENTE

GermanyAustria-Hungary

Italy

FranceRussia

England

1907 Triple Entente forms

PROBLEM WITH ALLIANCES

EXPAND CONFLICTS BECAUSE THEY ARE

PULLED INTO A CONFLICT THAT DID NOT

CONCERN THEM

IMPERIALISM

Taking control of other areas for economic, political, and/or military power

IMPERIALISM

Competition to control countries which had valuable resources

•Industrial Revolution

IMPERIALISM

Ottoman Empire weakening creating a “power vacuum” by pulling imperialistic countries in to gain control

•“Sick Man of Europe”

Nationalism

Patriotism

pride in your country

France wanting Alsace-Lorraine back from Germany

Pan Slavism

Austria Hungary and Serbia competing for control

Russia supports Serbia

Balkan Peninsula – “Powder Keg of Europe”•Balkan Wars [1912 / 1913]

Nationalism

BALKAN PENINSU

LA

June 28, 1914 – “The Spark”

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of AH was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip

Serbia

Black Hand

Nationalism

Path to WWI

1. the “Spark”

2. A.H. asks Germany for support

3. Germany gives A.H. a “Carte Blanche”

4. A.H. gives Serbia an ultimatum

5. Serbia does not accept

July 28, 1914

A.H. attacks Serbia = beginning of WWI

•Russia begins mobilizing

8.1.1914 – Germany declares war on Russia

8.3.1914 – Germany declares war on France

8.4.1914 – Great Britain declares war on Germany

END DAY 1 NOTES

ADOLF HITLER celebratingbeginning of WWI – 7.28.1914

BELLIGERENTSCentral Powers

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Bulgaria

Allied Powers

Russia

France

Great Britain

Italy (1915)

U.S. (1917)“My dear ones be proud that you live in such a time and in such a nation that you…

have the privilege of sending those you love into so glorious a battle.”

Total War

All resources used to fight the war•Conscription

•Women

•Victory Gardens

•Propaganda

WWI Weapons

•Submarines = “U-boats”

•Machine Gun = 100 guns

•Artillery Gun = shoot from 10 miles

•Poisonous Gas

•Airplane = “recon”

•Tank = “Little Willie”

Fighting on Western

Front

Front between France and Germany

Germany = Schlieffen Plan

•based on poor transportation system of Russia

•defeat France before Russia mobilized

•10 soldiers on “WF” // 1 soldier on “EF”

Germany attacked France thru Belgium

Problems with Schlieffen Plan

1) Russia began mobilizing quicker

2) 1st Battle of Marne

•France stopped Germany

Started a “Race to the Sea”

“WF” turned into Trench Warfare

“No Man’s Land”

Major Trench BattlesFeb 1916 – VerdunJuly 1916 - Somme

Other Fronts

Eastern Front

•between Germany and Russia

•Russia’s only advantage = MANPOWER

•made Germany split their men

Ottoman Front (Gallipolli Campaign)

•failure for Allies

End Day 2 Notes

GERMANYUnrestricted Sub Warfare

1914-16 U.S. exports - +350%

International Law•“Stop, Confiscate, Release”

•Contraband•Unwritten, but agreed to

Germany declared all water around England a “War Zone”

•began “USW”•shoot without warning

Sinking of the Lusitania -- 5/7/1915

•sunk in 18 minutes•128 Americans on board•President Wilson urged Germany to back down

•U.S. “supposedly” neutral

Germany “backed off”•did not want U.S. in war in 1915

March 1916 Sussex Pledge•no longer attack “cruise” ships•provide safety for crews before trade ships shot

U.S. Enters

WWI

1917 – Germany began re-using “USW”•war effort stalling•get England out before U.S. could mobilize

1) Germany’s re-use of “USW”•U.S. using “Convoys”

2) Zimmerman Telegram•Germany trying to get Mexico as an ally•Create 2 front war for U.S.

APRIL 6, 1917

U.S. officially enters WWI

End Day 3 Notes

Russian Revolution

By 1915, Russia is in bad shape•Allies feared Nicholas II would make

separate treaty with Germany•Allies offered straits in Balkan Pen.

March 15,1917 Nicholas II abdicates•Alexander Kerensky replaces•keeps Russia in WWI

Russian Revolution

November 1917 Bolshevik Revolution

•Lenin overthrows government•beginning of Communism

March 3, 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

•treaty between Russia and Germany•Russia is out of WWI•closed Eastern front•Allies will not forget

End of WWI

July 15 2nd Battle of Marne•Germany’s last offensive (failed)

11.9.1918 William II abdicates11.11.1918 WWI over

June 1919 Treaty of Versailles•“Big 4” •Russia not invited

End of WWI

European leaders wanted harsh punishment for Germany

U.S. President Wilson – “14 Points”•more lenient treatment of Germany•14th Point – form a League of Nations

•U.S. did not join•stay isolated from European problems

End of WWI

Germany’s Punishment•Lost all colonial territory•Military reduced•Could not produce any war material•No troops in Rhineland•Pay Reparations•War Guilt Clause•Sudetenland given to Czechoslovakia•Anschluss forbidden

TREATY OF VERSAILLES WILL BE A

MAJOR CAUSE OF

WWII

TREATY OF VERSAILLES WILL BE A

MAJOR CAUSE OF

WWII