The Road to the Great War
WWI
Causes of the War
 nationalism – feeling that a specific
nation, language, or culture is superior
to all others
 imperialism – creating an empire by
taking over other nations (Britain,
France, Germany, Italy, U.S.)
 militarism – aggressive military
preparedness; ex. European nations
built larger militaries than ever before
The Spark
 Austria-Hungary heir, Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, killed by Serbian radicals 
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
Russia was allies with Serbia  Germany
allies with Austria-Hungary  so…
 Germany declares war on Russia
 Central Powers – Austria-Hungary,
Germany, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire
(Turkey)
 Allied Powers – Britain, France, Italy, &
Russia
War in Europe
 trench warfare – strategy
of defending a position
by fighting from the
protection of deep ditches
(i.e. bunkers)
 technology – machine
guns, poison gas
(mustard, chlorine),
tanks, airplanes, &
submarines
 U-boats or submarines
(Germans)
America Enters the War
 German U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British
passenger ship, holding 128 Americans;
Germans broke international law
 The President, Woodrow Wilson, prolonged
U.S. neutrality and wanted world peace
 Zimmerman telegram – German foreign
minister wrote a confiscated note to Mexico
which proposed an alliance between the two
against U.S.  outraged Americans
 from isolationism to saving the day!
The Big 4 (leaders) were:
 Vittorio Orlando
– Italy
 George
Clemencea –
France
 David Lloyd
George – Great
Britain
 Woodrow Wilson
– U.S.
SUMMARY
 QUIZ TIME

http://www.history.com/sh
ows/the-worldwars/videos/trial-byfire?m=5189717d404fa&s=
All&f=2&free=false
 1. What event ignited the Great
War?
2. What kind of warfare
dominated the front lines in
WWI?
3. Name two reasons why the
U.S. enters WWI.