Causes of WWI
The Great War (WWI) 19141918
• Leads to End of 4 Empires
• Leads to worst war ever = WWII
Feuds and Competition
• Germany’s unification.
– A. Alsace-Lorraine = hostility with France
– B. Competition with England (Economic and
militarily)
Imperialism
• The major European
countries competed
with each other over
Imperialism—
colonizing for
resources and
markets.
Alliances
• Great European powers entered in
Alliances for protection.
• France and Russia
• Germany and Austria-Hungary
• England has secret alliance with France.
• Central Powers (Triple Alliance)—Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Italy (who switch sides when
war breaks out) and the Ottoman Empire
(Turkey) who join when war starts.
• Allies (Triple Entente)—England, France, and
Russia (and later Italy, Japan & the U.S.).
• These alliances meant that if any 2 of these
countries went to war, it would drag all of the
other countries in as well.
Militarism
Militarism—In the late 1800s, most of the major
European countries began building large
armies and navies.
• Because of Militarism,
all of the major
powers had large,
modern armies and
navies ready to fight.
• Many countries were
almost eager to go to
war (a kind of
romantic view).
Nationalism
Nationalism = A great
pride in one’s country.
• Also, the idea that
each ethnic group
should have its own
country.
Causes of WWI
• Militarism
• Alliances
• Imperialism
• Nationalism
How WWI Broke Out
•
TROUBLE IN THE BALKANS
• In the Balkans, nationalism fueled Slavic
people’s desire for their own independent
countries.
• Meanwhile, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and
Turkey all competed to dominate the
Balkans.
Slavic Nationalism and the
Austrian-Hungarian Empire
• Austria-Hungary had annexed Bosnia in
1878.
• Many Serbs lived there.
• They wanted out of the Empire and
wanted to unite with Serbia.
The War Begins
• 1. While visiting
Sarajevo, the heir to
the Austria-Hungry
crown—The
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand--was
assassinated by a
Serbian Nationalist.
Gravilo Princip
• Member of the “Black Hand,” a secret
Serbian nationalist organization.
• 2. Austria-Hungry blamed the assassination on Serbia.
• They gave Serbia a list of demands (an ultimatum) or else
there would be war.
• 3. Russia, which was the kind of “Big Brother” to the Slavic
people, told Austria that it would help Serbia if it was attacked.
• 4. Meanwhile, The Germans told Austria that they must set
an example and that they would do whatever they could to
help them. This is known as Germany providing a “blank
check” to Austria.
• Austria-Hungary then declared war on Serbia.
• Russia began to mobilize its army on Germany border.
• Germans declare war on Russia and France.
• WWI started when the heir to the AustrianHungarian throne--________________-was assassinated in ____________.
• The person that assassinated him was
named _________________. He was a
member of the Serbian nationalist group
the “_______________.”
Review
• The causes of WWI were:
–M
–A
–I
–N