A QUICK REVIEW:
The Age of Imperialism and the Progressive Era
1890-1916
• US response to the Turner Thesis:
– US sought new “frontiers” in Asia and achieved the goal of gaining spheres of
influence in China.
– US status, prestige, respect, wealth and power increased during this era.
– Domestically, the challenges of the Gilded Age were addressed by the
Progressive reform movement.
– Progressive reform had transformed America politically, economically,
culturally and socially.
– Progressives ended “laissez-faire” capitalism.
– Presidents McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson each contributed greatly to
the dramatic changes that the US experienced during this time period.
WHAT DIRECTION WILL THE US TAKE IN THE COMING YEARS?
- Remember this? The US abandoned its time honored policy of isolationism and
became an imperialist nation:
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1850s-US sought commercial agreements with China and Japan.
1861-1865 - US Civil War
1867-US acquired Alaska, claimed Virgin and Samoan Islands
1898-US waged and won war against Spain
1899-US gained Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico and Philippines after war with Spain
1900-US created Open Door Policy for all nations to recognize in China
1904-US, under Roosevelt, enforced Monroe Doctrine with the “big stick policy”,
became a mediator in crises between different nations and intervened in the affairs
of nations in the Western Hemisphere many times
1904-US gained the rights and the opportunity to build and control the Panama
Canal
By 1909-US became an “empire”, extended its influence around the world,
competed with (and was respected by) the major European powers of the era
Mostly under Roosevelt’s leadership US prestige, power, status, wealth and respect
grew dramatically between 1850 and 1909…
Taft and Wilson: what was the direction of US diplomacy under these men?
In the event of an international conflict, predict what role the United States
would play under these presidents.
President Theodore Roosevelt: 1901 to 1909
“Big Stick Policy”
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Mediator in Asian and European conflicts
“Never exercise restraint in international affairs”
Nations must play by the rules that are established by the USA
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President William H. Taft: 1909-1913
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President Woodrow Wilson: 1913-1920
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“Moral Diplomacy”:
– Our foreign policy should conform to our
democratic principles and remain neutral in
affairs that have no impact on the US.
“watchful waiting”
US should:
– help foster the development of constitutional
liberty in the world,
– advance human rights,
– create opportunity
– promote justice.
This would restore our prestige around the world
and would be true to our own traditions.
“Dollar Diplomacy”:
– Foreign policy centered around
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American investment in foreign
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nations.
This would increase commercial
opportunities for US.
This would counterbalance other
nations financial power in the world.
US “economic imperialism” in Asia and •
Western Hemisphere.
Contemporary Map of Europe
Political Map of Europe -1914
Ethno-linguistic Map of Europe - 1914
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Compare the POLITICAL MAP of Europe with the ETHNOLIGUISTIC MAP
1914.
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RECOGNITION: Identify any potential conflicts that could arise due to the fact that there
were so many different ethnic/linguistic/cultural groups in Europe and so few nations?
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PERSPECTIVE: Try to predict what the US response to these potential conflicts would be
under (1) TR, (2) Taft and (3) Wilson.
of Europe in
On 28 June 1914, a localized event will evolve into a European war, and,
eventually, a GLOBAL WAR.
How did this “Great War” happen?
The Ingredients for War:
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Conflicting interests of imperialist European powers; most of which
are ruled by autocratic MONARCHS
Civil unrest within major European powers
– DEMOCRACY vs. MONARCHISM
– MARXISM vs. MONARCHISM
– Ethnic groups vs. Empire
– Imperialism and Monarchism are major contributors to this war
Industrialization (mass production)
Arms Race (modern weaponry)
Militarism (armies and strategies)
Ultra-Nationalism and propaganda
The Alliance system
Pre-existing conflicts between European powers
Overall INSTABILITY in Europe
When all ingredients are mixed, all that’s needed is a “SPARK” to
ignite a war.
Relations between these powers all contributed
to the conflict.
The Major Powers of Europe:
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British Empire (United Kingdom)
German Realm (Germany)
Empire of Russia
Republic of France
Empire of Austria-Hungary
 Ottoman Empire
 Republic of Serbia
The King, the Kaiser and the Czar
• They were first cousins and grandchildren of Queen Victoria of England.
– Queen Victoria's son Edward VII was King George V's father, making him
Victoria’s grandson.
– Queen Victoria's daughter Victoria, was Kaiser Wilhelm's mother, making him
Victoria’s grandson.
• Queen Victoria's daughter Alice was the mother of Alexandra, wife of Czar Nicolas
II, making him “related” by marriage.
– Nicholas II, himself, was not a descendant of Queen Victoria, however both of
them (Nicholas II and Queen Victoria) were several generations descended
from King George II of England, which made him a distant cousin of George and
Wilhelm.
• Kaiser Wilhelm & Czar Nicholas had common ancestor in Paul I of Russia.
• Additionally, George V of England and Czar Nicholas II of Russia were first cousins
through their mothers. George's mother, Alexandra of Denmark, and Nicholas'
mother, Dagmar of Denmark, were sisters.
Empire of Austria-Hungary
• A volatile, diverse European empire that
included many different ethnic and religious
groups:
– Austrian, Slovak, Romanian, Croat, Italian,
Hungarian, Polish, Albanian, Czech, Serb,
Bosnian Serbs, Slovene, Greek
– Roman Catholic, Muslim, Eastern Orthodox
Christian, Jewish
• Ruled by King Franz Josef
– (no relation to the other guys)
• His nephew, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the
heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary.
• He supported the “Triple Monarchy” idea; this
would add Serbia to Austria-Hungary and
would give Serbia some autonomy.
• 7,800,000 men in army
Republic of France
• President Raymond Poincare led the
French democracy.
• Retained one of Europe ’s largest
militaries, but it was underfunded and
lacked modern weapons.
• Its greatest enemy was Germany
(Franco-Prussian War of 1870)
• French Empire was losing its lustre
and status by 1913
• Vulnerable, but allied with Russia
since 1894 and Britain since 1904
• 8,400,000 men in army
Ottoman-Turk Empire
• Ruler Sultan Mohammed V, a Muslim Turk.
• Empire stretched from the Middle East/Arabian peninsula, through Turkey and into
Southeastern Europe
• Empire was in its decline
• Muslim influence of the Ottoman Empire spread into Southeastern Europe which
added to the religious differences of the region
• Like Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire was ethnically and religiously diverse.
• 2.9 million men in army
Kingdom of Serbia – King Peter 1
A constitutional monarchy
Serbs culturally linked to Russia – both are Slavic
The Pan-Slav Movement:
– Serbians led a movement across the Slavic region of
Europe that was designed to unite the Slavic people
of the region
The Serbian vision: A Slavic Empire
– South Slavia or Yugoslavia
Bosnia (ethnic Slavs): Fully absorbed into
Austria-Hungary (Germanic) in 1913
– Croats, Slovenes, and Bosnian Serbs live in Bosnia
(all are Slavic)
– Sought assimilation into Serbia
– Its obstacle in building a greater Slavic nation
(South Slavia): Austria-Hungary
The Black Hand - Nationalist group that sought to
encourage Austria-Hungary to liberate ethnic Slavs living
in A-H
Widespread Slavic unrest in the region attributed to
Serbia ’s quest for a Slavic empire
European Unrest
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Democracy vs. Monarchy (New vs. Old)
Marxism vs. Monarchy (New vs. Old)
Imperialism = increased wealth/prestige = MILITARY growth
“Nationalism” within each European nation
Ethnic minorities within empires = CIVIL WAR
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Ethnic minorities supported by nations other than the nation they lived in.
– ex. Slavs in AH sought support from Russia
• Ancient alliances – Ancient enemies
• Lack of perspective…
• Alsace-Lorraine: 2 French provinces lost to Germany after the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870. Unresolved conflict between the two.
• Poland: Ethnic Polish people without a nation; live in parts of 3 different nations;
desire autonomy.
• AUSTRIA-HUNGARY vs. ETHNIC SLAVS
– ethnic and religious diversity made A-H very unstable.
• Alliances, combined with “the cousins”, created an uncertain situation between the
most powerful nations of Europe.
Militarism
• Franco-Prussian War of 1870
• Before 1900, Germany & France had created strategies to invade each other
• Germany: Schlieffen Plan
• France: Plan 17
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Armies were huge, well trained and supplied with modern weaponry.
Except for France, of course.
UK and Germany in competition to have the largest, most powerful navy
Nations that are prepared for war and usually go to war..
THE ALLIANCE SYSTEM:
An ominous rivalry for naval and military superiority, for colonies and for spheres of
influence outside of Europe drove the leading powers into 2 antagonistic alliances. A
third alliance developed for reasons of security from the other two:
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The Triple Alliance-1882
– Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary
– Known as “The Central Powers”
– Italy will leave in 1914
– Ottoman Empire will join in 1914
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The Triple Entente-1904
– France, Russia and Britain
– Known as “The Allies”
– Italy will join in 1915
The Balkan League-1911
– Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and Montenegro.
– Goals: (1) protection from Ottoman and A-H Empires and (2) create a larger nation
of South Slavia (Yugoslavia)
– This is an alliance of mostly SLAVIC peoples; Russians are also Slavic
Pre-exisitig Conflicts:
• 1870 - Franco-Prussian War
• 1912-1913 - The Balkan Wars:
– A-H/Ottomans vs. ethnic Slavs, A-H annexed Bosnia in 1913, while Ottomans
moved further into southeastern Europe by taking Bulgaria. Bosnia had a
significant Serbian population. Bulgarians and Bosnians are Slavic.
• Pan-Slav Movement
• The Black Hand
• The Bottom Line
– Serbians/Slavs hated Austria-Hungary, French and Germans hated each other,
Russians supported the Pan-Slav movement, Serbia promoted a greater Slavic
nation out of Ottoman and A-H lands, Germans and Austrians were
ethnically/culturally the same, Russia and France were allies and Ottomans did
not trust Russia. Plus the Czar, the Kaiser and King George were first cousins
which intensified the situation.
Into the Abyss…
• June 28, 1914:
– Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to
the throne of Austria-Hungary…
– by Gavrilo Princip, a Serb member of the Black Hand
– In Sarajevo, part of Austria-Hungary and former
capital of Bosnia
• Even though Serbia was not directly responsible for the
assassinaiton of the Arch-Duke…
– Conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary was
intense
• How does this evolve into such a devastating global war?