The Road To War
1914

Causes of World War 1
1. Militarism
• Britain had the largest
Navy – to protect its empire
• Germany wanted a navy too, to acquire colonies and then protect them
• Britain saw Germany’s naval growth as a direct threat!!!

Causes of World War 1
2. The Alliances of WWI

Causes of World War 1
3. Nationalism
• Pride in one’s country
• Citizens were prepared to do anything for their nation – even go to war

Causes of World War 1
4. Imperialism
(Clash of Empires)
• The Act of empire building
• Britain, France, Spain and
Portugal have many colonies = big Empires
• Germany wants an empire too

Causes of World War 1
Also…
Emergence of Germany as a major power
• 1900 Most German speaking people are united under one nation –
Germany
• Wish to be recognized as a world power
• Wants colonies and territory

Causes of World War 1
5. The SPARK - the assassination of
Archduke Ferdinand
• Austrian heir, Archduke
Ferdinand and his wife are killed by a Serbian terrorist group, the Black
Hand, in Sarajevo, Bosnia
– a state within the
Austro-Hungarian Empire

The SPARK - the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Continued……
• Black Hand – Serbian Nationalist Terrorist group.
• Resent being a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Serbia historically closer to Russia not Austria-Hungary
• Kill the A-H heir

The SPARK - the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Continued……
June 28
Alliances kick in
July 23
July 29
Russia mobilizes
July 28
Austria invades Serbia
July 25
Serbia replies, rejecting them
Austria sends ultimatum (list of demands) to Serbia
Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated at Sarajevo

The SPARK - the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Continued……
Germany invades Belgium as a way to get to France
Britain declares war on Germany – protecting Belgium
Canada and the
British Empire are at war
August 4 - 5
July 29
August 3 - France mobilizes forces to assist
Russia
- Germany declares war on France
- Russia mobilizes army along borders with Austria and
Germany
- Germany declares war on Russia

The Schlieffen Plan

World War 1 Begins
• The Schlieffen Plan http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/animatio ns/western_front/index_embed.shtml
• Designed to prevent a war on two fronts
• Take France in 6 weeks, by surprise by going through
Belgium
• Once France falls, move troops east to fight Russia

World War 1 Begins
• Schlieffen Plan – Why it
Failed!
1. Belgium had a treaty with
Britain, France and
Germany guaranteeing its neutrality
Britain objected when
Germany invaded
Belgium This was their reason to go to war
2. German Generals altered the plan causing German troops to turn south towards Paris earlier than originally planned
German troops encountered both
French troops moving out of Paris and British from the Channel ports

World War 1 Begins
• German advance was halted on the Marne River
– both sides “dug-in” extensive trench systems protected by artillery and machine guns

Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier - 1910

The British Commonwealth in
Arms
This poster depicts New
Zealand, Australia, Canada,
Newfoundland, and South
Africa supporting Britain in arms. These British Dominions would eventually contribute more than 1.4 million service personnel to the British war effort from 1914 to 1918.

-In 1914, Canada was a self-governing dominion of the British
Empire, but it did not control its own foreign affairs.
-The Canadian government would decide the nature and extent of Canada's war effort, but legally the country was at war the instant Britain declared one.

-Canadians marched and sang in the streets at the declaration of war in early August 1914.
-In an unprecedented burst of patriotic enthusiasm,
Canadians enlisted from across the country.
-Because prewar Canada had a very small permanent armed force, citizen-soldiers would form most of the new
Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF).

-Valcartier, Quebec was the primary training base for the First
Canadian Contingent in 1914.

Daily Ration for Soldiers Training at Valcartier:
Pepper and salt
11/4 pounds bread
1 ounce tea
13 ounce coffee
1 ounce cheese
2 ounces jam
2 ounces beans
2 ounces butter
2 ounces sugar
6 ounces fresh vegetables
1 pound fresh meat
1 pound potatoes
1 ounce oil
1 cubic foot wood
Fruit is extra

Infantryman, Canadian Expeditionary Force, France 1915-1916.